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/1391289
  • 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/1391289
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.

MICHAEL LAGO

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
1275 E FAIRFAX RD, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, 84103-4324

2018 Payments: At a Glance

65

payments

$8,762

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 15 $6,052
Food and Beverage
 50 $2,710

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†
EXPEDIUM

device

 $5,017
PELVIS II

device

 $893
SYNFLATE

device

 $870
TRAUMA

device

 $597
ASNIS

device

 $416
HOFFMANN

device

 $416
GLOBAL

device

 $263
HEALIX

device

 $263
RADIAL HEAD PROSTHESIS

device

 $263
RIGIDLOOP

device

 $263
ORTHOPEDIATRICS IMPLANTS

device

 $198
O-ARM-SPINE

device

 $167
NONE

device

 $131
VIPER

device

 $124
FIBERGRAFT

device

 $111
ARC

device

 $106
ISOTIS MOZAIK STRIP

device

 $97
PEDI-FLEX

device

 $72
STEALTHSTATION

device

 $49
ARCH

device

 $44
† 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/1391289

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 19, 2018 $1,424 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 31, 2018 $878 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $618 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 31, 2018 $471 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 20, 2018 $471 SYNFLATE Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $468 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $420 PELVIS II Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 20, 2018 $219 SYNFLATE Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $211 ASNIS PELVIS II HOFFMANN Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 22, 2018 $205 ASNIS PELVIS II HOFFMANN Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 13, 2018 $175 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 8, 2018 $147 O-ARM-SPINE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 21, 2018 $145 RIGIDLOOP HEALIX GLOBAL RADIAL HEAD PROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $138 ORTHOPEDIATRICS IMPLANTS Food and Beverage ORTHOPEDIATRICS CORP.
Sep 26, 2018 $131 NONE Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 27, 2018 $129 TRAUMA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 20, 2018 $128 SYNFLATE Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $125 EXPEDIUM Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $124 VIPER Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Apr 21, 2018 $118 RIGIDLOOP HEALIX GLOBAL RADIAL HEAD PROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, 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/1391289

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.