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/147003
  • 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/147003
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.

BRIAN BUSCONI

Listed Specialty: Sports Medicine
281 LINCOLN ST, DEPARTMENT OF ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, WORCESTER, MA, 01605-2138

2018 Payments: At a Glance

86

payments

$142,583

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 12 $62,117
Consulting
 10 $50,804
Royalty or License
 4 $18,914
Travel and Lodging
 21 $5,148
Education
 2 $3,320
Food and Beverage
 37 $2,280

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $70,582
FMS

device

 $34,139
CRUCIATE

device

 $18,914
HEALIX

device

 $17,357
RIGIDLOOP

device

 $17,308
BIOINTRAFIX

device

 $11,401
OMNISPAN

device

 $11,401
ORTHOCORD

device

 $5,978
INTRAFIX

device

 $5,736
GRYPHON

device

 $1,103
ZILRETTA

drug

 $224
FIRSTPASS MINI

device

 $156
MILAGRO

device

 $94
SPEEDTRAP

device

 $44
TRUESPAN

device

 $44
TWISTR

device

 $44
BONESCALPEL

device

 $33
MONOVISC

device

 $32
ORTHOVISC

device

 $32
PEAK

device

 $32
† 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/147003

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 26, 2018 $21,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $12,250 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Jul 25, 2018 $11,586 FMS Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $9,250 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $7,625 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Jul 4, 2018 $6,695 FMS Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $6,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $5,736 BIOINTRAFIX OMNISPAN RIGIDLOOP HEALIX Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 23, 2018 $5,667 FMS Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $5,667 INTRAFIX ORTHOCORD RIGIDLOOP HEALIX Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $5,665 BIOINTRAFIX OMNISPAN RIGIDLOOP HEALIX Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $5,665 FMS Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Dec 21, 2018 $5,183 CRUCIATE Royalty or License DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Jul 3, 2018 $4,874 CRUCIATE Royalty or License DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Jul 3, 2018 $4,433 CRUCIATE Royalty or License DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Sep 26, 2018 $4,423 CRUCIATE Royalty or License DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Apr 26, 2018 $2,938 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $1,826 No Listed Product Education KAIROS SURGICAL INC
Aug 6, 2018 $1,547 FMS Consulting DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC

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/147003

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.