Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
You can print this page and show it to your doctor.

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

ProPublica's Dollars for Docs database lets you search for payments to U.S.-based doctors made by pharmaceutical and medical device companies between August 2013 and December 2018. The disclosure of these payments is required under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

About This Information

  • The information that appears here comes directly from the federal government. Companies must attest to its accuracy, and doctors have the ability to contest information they believe is in error.
  • This site includes payments for such activities as speaking, consulting, meals, travel and royalties. It does not include payments for clinical research.
  • It is legal for companies to make payments to doctors as long as the payments are not a kickback or inducement to use their products.
  • Some doctors say collaborative relationships, particularly those involving research, are necessary to develop new treatments and cures. But many ethicists have raised questions about the payments, and studies show that they may influence doctors' prescribing decisions.
  • Only you can decide if this matters to you and if so, whether you want to talk with your doctor about it. If you plan to talk with your doctor (or if you already have), please help us by filling out this short survey: propub.li/participate-d4d

Preparing for Your Conversation

If you decide you'd like to talk to your doctor about this, please keep in mind:

  • Many health care professionals in our database have similar names, so you should start by asking your doctor if the person mentioned in this payment record is really him/her.
  • Your doctor may not know he or she is listed as receiving payments, especially if the payments are small. You can direct your doctor to this site (the URL will be printed at the top of the payment record) or directly to the government's site here: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/1387702
  • Some doctors are happy to discuss this information with you. Others might not be. The best approach is to ask questions and to not be accusatory.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

  • Is this you?
  • What type of work do you do with these companies?
  • Have you prescribed me any drugs that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?
  • Are there non-drug alternatives that I may want to consider first?
  • Are there less expensive generic alternatives to the drugs you have prescribed?
  • What devices have you used in my care that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?

Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/1387702
If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

CHERYL MEJIA

Listed Specialty: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
400 N PEPPER AVE, COLTON, CA, 92324-1801

2018 Payments: At a Glance

224

payments

$10,541

payment total

28

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Nonaccredited Training
 3 $4,300
Food and Beverage
 208 $3,742
Travel and Lodging
 13 $2,498

Drugs & Devices in 2018

Totals listed below account for all payments from that mention this product. Beginning in 2016, the government began classifying products as drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies. Below, you will see drugs (drugs and biologics) and devices (devices and medical supplies). If a payment record mentions more than one product, the entire value will be included in each of those products. When no products are listed, they are not included in the list below.

Product Name Product Type Payments†
RELISTOR

drug

 $4,395
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $1,204
INTELLIS

device

 $785
ACTHAR

drug

 $419
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

 $400
STABILIT VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION SYSTEM

device

 $367
STAR TUMOR ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $367
LUCEMYRA

drug

 $349
LYRICA

drug

 $297
LEVORPHANOL

drug

 $239
MORPHABOND ER

drug

 $196
MYSTIM

device

 $177
OCTRODE SCS LEADS

device

 $175
SUBLOCADE

drug

 $137
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $119
ZILRETTA

drug

 $104
SPRIX

drug

 $102
PENTA SCS LEADS

device

 $99
MOVANTIK

drug

 $97
DRG IPGS

device

 $91
† May not add up to dollar total at top of page, since a payment record may not be associated with any product or can be associated with several products.

For ease of printing, only the 20 drugs and devices with the highest payments are displayed. For a complete list, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/1387702

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 5, 2018 $2,000 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Oct 3, 2018 $2,000 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Mar 30, 2018 $495 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 18, 2018 $445 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 9, 2018 $367 STAR TUMOR ABLATION SYSTEM STABILIT VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
Sep 6, 2018 $300 LUCEMYRA Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Jul 14, 2018 $260 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $205 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $174 IFUSE IMPLANT Travel and Lodging SI-BONE, INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $171 OCTRODE SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 14, 2018 $140 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 24, 2018 $136 MYSTIM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $134 IFUSE IMPLANT Food and Beverage SI-BONE, INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $131 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 13, 2018 $125 ACTHAR Food and Beverage MALLINCKRODT LLC
Feb 27, 2018 $120 LYRICA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $119 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 27, 2018 $100 ACTHAR Food and Beverage MALLINCKRODT LLC
Oct 16, 2018 $99 PENTA SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 15, 2018 $95 SUBLOCADE Food and Beverage INDIVIOR INC.

For ease of printing, 20 payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top. For a full list of payments, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/1387702

Note: We have made some effort to normalize the data and eliminate duplicates, but the data is primarily as it has been reported by the companies to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To purchase the normalized data, please visit the ProPublica Data Store. If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This site includes data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on June 28, 2019.