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/155587
  • 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/155587
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.

YAMIL RIVERA-COLON

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
576 CESAR GONZALEZ AVE. DORAL BANK CENTER SUITE 506, SAN JUAN, PR, 00918

2018 Payments: At a Glance

71

payments

$35,656

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $25,441
Travel and Lodging
 18 $4,713
Royalty or License
 4 $2,801
Food and Beverage
 45 $2,702

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†
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $12,870
CLYDESDALE

device

 $6,711
MAST QUADRANT

device

 $6,536
ELSA ATP

device

 $2,801
O-ARM-SPINE

device

 $2,515
ALIF

device

 $1,442
XLIF

device

 $1,006
TIMBERLINE

device

 $372
ELSA

device

 $202
VITALITY

device

 $198
PERIMETER

device

 $164
BRIGADE

device

 $159
MOBI-C

device

 $152
CD HORIZON

device

 $144
I-FACTOR PUTTY

device

 $127
STRATAFIX

device

 $111
AUBAGIO

drug

 $101
JANUMET

drug

 $100
LINEUM POSTERIOR CERVICAL

device

 $62
MIS ANTERIOR SUPINE

device

 $62
† 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/155587

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 25, 2018 $10,798 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $6,536 MAST QUADRANT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $5,607 CLYDESDALE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $2,500 O-ARM-SPINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 31, 2018 $1,010 ELSA ATP Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $981 XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Mar 31, 2018 $839 ELSA ATP Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 15, 2018 $743 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $546 ALIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Sep 30, 2018 $525 ELSA ATP Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 5, 2018 $503 CLYDESDALE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 30, 2018 $427 ELSA ATP Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $399 CLYDESDALE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 15, 2018 $399 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $200 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 15, 2018 $171 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $168 TIMBERLINE Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 19, 2018 $159 BRIGADE ALIF Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Nov 5, 2018 $144 CD HORIZON Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $132 DIVERGENCE-L Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, 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/155587

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.