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/166441
  • 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/166441
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.

BENO KUHARICH

Listed Specialty: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
1628 S MILDRED STREET SUITE 105, SEATTLE PAIN CENTER, UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA, 98465

2018 Payments: At a Glance

80

payments

$43,850

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 13 $33,998
Consulting
 2 $6,684
Travel and Lodging
 7 $2,111
Food and Beverage
 58 $1,058

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†
ADAPTIVESTIM

device

 $20,459
SYNCHROMED

device

 $7,420
VECTRIS

device

 $7,070
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $6,444
LIORESAL

device

 $1,253
RESTORE

device

 $716
N'VISION

device

 $159
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

 $118
TYMLOS

drug

 $105
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER

device

 $23
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $20
BOTOX

drug

 $15
INTELLIS

device

 $14
GRALISE

drug

 $14
ZIPSOR

drug

 $14
GROUPADJUST

device

 $6
AUTOFILL

device

 $6
MYSTIM

device

 $6
TARGETSTIM

device

 $1
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 22, 2018 $7,160 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $6,444 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $5,728 VECTRIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 21, 2018 $4,654 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $4,117 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $3,000 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $2,864 SYNCHROMED Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $2,148 SYNCHROMED Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 11, 2018 $2,000 SYNCHROMED Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $716 RESTORE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $537 LIORESAL Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 8, 2018 $457 VECTRIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 8, 2018 $449 VECTRIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 7, 2018 $424 VECTRIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $390 ADAPTIVESTIM Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 24, 2018 $358 LIORESAL Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $358 LIORESAL Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $358 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $240 SYNCHROMED Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 3, 2018 $240 ADAPTIVESTIM Travel and Lodging 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/166441

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.