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/178712
  • 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/178712
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.


MICHAEL DORSI

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
168 N BRENT ST, SUITE 408, VENTURA, CA, 93003-2817

2018 Payments: At a Glance

262

payments

$82,533

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
8 $27,375
Nonaccredited Training
5 $18,950
Consulting
7 $18,164
Food and Beverage
214 $6,895
Royalty or License
3 $5,674
Travel and Lodging
25 $5,475

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
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

$30,726
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

$13,715
PRECISION

device

$11,609
VIVIGEN

device

$6,848
VIPER

device

$6,847
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$6,542
CONCORDE

device

$6,325
XLIF

device

$3,694
MODULUS

device

$2,800
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER

device

$2,218
THERAPIES

device

$1,929
NAVIGATION

device

$438
COVEREDGE

device

$370
ALGOVITA

device

$311
MOUNTAINEER

device

$273
ARTISAN

device

$270
EXPEDIUM

device

$227
BRAINLAB

device

$222
NVM5

device

$175
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER (REFURBISHED)

device

$174
† 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/178712

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 17, 2018 $7,000 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training NEVRO CORP.
Apr 4, 2018 $6,250 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
Oct 31, 2018 $6,239 CONCORDE VIVIGEN VIPER Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $5,000 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Consulting NEVRO CORP.
May 2, 2018 $4,625 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
Sep 28, 2018 $4,500 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training NEVRO CORP.
Mar 6, 2018 $3,500 PRECISION Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
May 10, 2018 $3,200 XLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. Michael J Dorsi, MD
Mar 14, 2018 $3,000 PRECISION Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
Oct 17, 2018 $3,000 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other NEVRO CORP.
Jul 31, 2018 $2,800 MODULUS Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Michael J Dorsi, MD
Nov 8, 2018 $2,645 No Listed Product Royalty or License THE INSTITUTE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
Oct 31, 2018 $2,500 PRECISION Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
May 2, 2018 $2,500 PRECISION Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
Nov 20, 2018 $2,250 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training NEVRO CORP.
May 30, 2018 $2,000 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION MICHAEL DORSI MD APC
Sep 19, 2018 $2,000 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training NEVRO CORP.
Nov 1, 2018 $2,000 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Consulting NEVRO CORP.
Aug 1, 2018 $1,825 No Listed Product Royalty or License THE INSTITUTE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
May 2, 2018 $1,205 No Listed Product Royalty or License THE INSTITUTE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

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/178712

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.