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/168737
  • 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/168737
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.

RAJIV SETHI

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
1100 9TH AVE, SEATTLE, WA, 98101-2756

2018 Payments: At a Glance

34

payments

$43,572

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
 4 $32,008
Travel and Lodging
 5 $5,524
Consulting
 2 $3,652
Food and Beverage
 23 $2,387

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

 $32,192
PASS-LP

device

 $6,285
UNID

device

 $6,285
CONSTRUX MINI PEEK SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $2,652
CONSTRUX MINI PTC SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $2,652
FIREBIRD DEFORMITY CORRECTION SYSTEM

device

 $2,652
FIREBIRD NXG SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $2,652
INSWING

device

 $2,652
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

 $1,132
RELINE

device

 $333
PULSE

device

 $240
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

device

 $222
EXPEDIUM

device

 $157
MAXCESS-C

device

 $148
MESA SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $143
VIPER

device

 $136
NVM5

device

 $39
FIREBIRD DEFORMITY

drug

 $30
† 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
May 10, 2018 $9,076 No Listed Product Royalty or License ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 12, 2018 $7,907 No Listed Product Royalty or License ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 13, 2018 $7,553 No Listed Product Royalty or License ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $7,472 No Listed Product Royalty or License ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $4,610 PASS-LP UNID Travel and Lodging MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Jul 17, 2018 $2,652 FIREBIRD NXG SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM CONSTRUX MINI PEEK SPACER SYSTEM CONSTRUX MINI PTC SPACER SYSTEM FIREBIRD DEFORMITY CORRECTION SYSTEM INSWING Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $1,000 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Consulting K2M, INC. Virginia Mason Medical Center
Nov 17, 2018 $687 PASS-LP UNID Travel and Lodging MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Apr 19, 2018 $222 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Nov 2, 2018 $198 RELINE Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $196 PASS-LP UNID Food and Beverage MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Sep 1, 2018 $157 PASS-LP UNID Food and Beverage MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Sep 24, 2018 $154 PASS-LP UNID Food and Beverage MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Nov 1, 2018 $148 MAXCESS-C Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $143 MESA SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $139 PULSE Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $136 VIPER EXPEDIUM Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
May 13, 2018 $134 PASS-LP UNID Food and Beverage MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Nov 2, 2018 $132 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Apr 22, 2018 $114 PASS-LP UNID Travel and Lodging MEDICREA USA, CORP.

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/168737

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.