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/174834
  • 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/174834
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.


ROBERT BALL

Listed Specialty: Interventional Pain Medicine
19621 COCHRAN BLVD, UNIT #1, PORT CHARLOTTE, FL, 33948-2070

2018 Payments: At a Glance

104

payments

$28,089

payment total

20

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
8 $9,750
Promotional Speaking/Other
2 $8,400
Travel and Lodging
22 $5,117
Nonaccredited Training
2 $2,400
Food and Beverage
69 $2,267
Entertainment
1 $155

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
SUPERION ISS

device

$7,338
DRG LEADS

device

$6,050
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

$5,983
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

$5,668
SYNCHROMED

device

$1,139
IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS

device

$652
AXIUM INS DRG IPG

device

$473
IVS - MULTIGEN 2RF

device

$275
IVS - RF CANNULAENEEDLES

device

$275
INTELLIS

device

$175
PROMETRA II

device

$155
MILD DEVICE KIT

device

$102
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$93
MYOBLOC

drug

$51
PRIALT

drug

$33
EMBEDA

drug

$26
FLECTOR PATCH

drug

$26
LYRICA

drug

$26
ZILRETTA

drug

$21
RELISTOR

drug

$19
† 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/174834

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 15, 2018 $6,000 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $2,400 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other NEVRO CORP.
Apr 5, 2018 $2,200 DRG LEADS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 5, 2018 $2,200 DRG LEADS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 5, 2018 $1,650 DRG LEADS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 27, 2018 $1,200 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training NEVRO CORP.
Jul 16, 2018 $1,200 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training NEVRO CORP.
Nov 15, 2018 $1,100 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 26, 2018 $1,100 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 31, 2018 $604 SUPERION ISS Travel and Lodging VERTIFLEX, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $518 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 16, 2018 $500 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Consulting NEVRO CORP.
Nov 15, 2018 $500 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 26, 2018 $500 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 8, 2018 $473 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 18, 2018 $468 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 28, 2018 $338 IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 14, 2018 $323 SYNCHROMED Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $322 SYNCHROMED Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $292 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging NEVRO 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/174834

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.