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/178649
  • 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/178649
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.

PETER CUMMINGS

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
2222 E HIGHLAND AVE, STE 300, PHOENIX, AZ, 85016-4872

2018 Payments: At a Glance

116

payments

$39,021

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 12 $36,625
Food and Beverage
 99 $2,320
Travel and Lodging
 5 $77

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†
AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT

device

 $27,375
CHARLOTE SHOULDER INSTR

device

 $16,375
JUGGERKNOTLESS

device

 $11,142
SURELOCK

device

 $11,000
EXPRESSBRAID

device

 $9,875
BIOWICK

device

 $9,575
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $6,842
TYMLOS

drug

 $402
JUGGERKNOT

device

 $297
KRYSTEXXA

drug

 $141
HEMICAP KNEE

device

 $95
COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUMENTS

device

 $92
FORTEO

drug

 $70
ZILRETTA

drug

 $66
PROLIA

drug

 $64
DUEXIS

drug

 $62
QUATRO LINK

device

 $53
EUFLEXXA

device

 $53
RAYOS

drug

 $44
CINCHLOCK SS

device

 $35
† 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/178649

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 11, 2018 $7,875 EXPRESSBRAID CHARLOTE SHOULDER INSTR AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $6,000 JUGGERKNOTLESS AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT SURELOCK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $4,500 CHARLOTE SHOULDER INSTR AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT BIOWICK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $3,500 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $3,000 SURELOCK AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT JUGGERKNOTLESS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $2,000 BIOWICK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $2,000 AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT SURELOCK JUGGERKNOTLESS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 11, 2018 $2,000 CHARLOTE SHOULDER INSTR EXPRESSBRAID AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $2,000 AC JOINT ZIPTIGHT BIOWICK CHARLOTE SHOULDER INSTR Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $1,000 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $750 BIOWICK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $121 JUGGERKNOT Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $106 KRYSTEXXA Food and Beverage HORIZON PHARMA PLC
Sep 22, 2018 $100 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $95 HEMICAP KNEE Food and Beverage ARTHROSURFACE INCORPORATED
Aug 2, 2018 $92 COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUMENTS Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 30, 2018 $84 TYMLOS Food and Beverage RADIUS HEALTH, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $77 BIOWICK Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $72 BIOWICK Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, 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/178649

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.