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/178992
  • 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/178992
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.

BRETT SACHS

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
7615 W 38TH AVE, SUITE B133, WHEAT RIDGE, CO, 80033-6172

2018 Payments: At a Glance

194

payments

$144,891

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 50 $134K
Travel and Lodging
 57 $7,336
Food and Beverage
 86 $3,258
Education
 1 $1

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†
ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS

device

 $42,782
CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER

device

 $39,088
HAMMERTOE

device

 $30,088
NUSHIELD, RENU, AFFINITY, FIBEROS

device

 $18,126
ZIPTIGHT ANKLE SYNDESMOSIS

device

 $17,978
JUGGERKNOT

device

 $16,230
TRABECULAR METAL (TM) ANKLE

device

 $14,403
FOOT AND ANKLE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $12,246
ACCUFILL

device

 $10,000
DERMASPAN

device

 $9,750
AFFINITY

device

 $6,000
GRIDLOCK ANKLE

device

 $5,000
TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $4,579
GRIDLOCK

device

 $3,885
TI SCREWS

device

 $1,875
NEXTREMITY ARCUSTM

device

 $1,424
ANKLE FIX PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS

device

 $926
TI CALCANEUS PLATES

device

 $750
CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $194
HALLU-LOCK

device

 $194
† 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/178992

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 12, 2018 $9,080 NUSHIELD, RENU, AFFINITY, FIBEROS Consulting ORGANOGENESIS INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $9,046 NUSHIELD, RENU, AFFINITY, FIBEROS Consulting ORGANOGENESIS INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $7,000 ACCUFILL Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Jul 12, 2018 $6,375 DERMASPAN JUGGERKNOT CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER ZIPTIGHT ANKLE SYNDESMOSIS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Mar 25, 2018 $6,000 AFFINITY Consulting ORGANOGENESIS INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $5,875 HAMMERTOE CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Jul 19, 2018 $5,000 GRIDLOCK ANKLE Consulting TRILLIANT SURGICAL LLC. Sachs Consulting
Nov 20, 2018 $4,125 CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER HAMMERTOE ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Nov 20, 2018 $4,000 CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER HAMMERTOE ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $4,000 JUGGERKNOT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $3,625 ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Nov 20, 2018 $3,438 CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER HAMMERTOE ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Aug 23, 2018 $3,125 TRABECULAR METAL (TM) ANKLE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Jul 20, 2018 $3,000 GRIDLOCK Consulting TRILLIANT SURGICAL LLC. Sachs Consulting
Nov 8, 2018 $2,688 FOOT AND ANKLE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Jul 5, 2018 $2,550 TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM Consulting TREACE MEDICAL CONCEPTS, INC.
May 8, 2018 $2,500 ZIPTIGHT ANKLE SYNDESMOSIS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Feb 13, 2018 $2,438 TRABECULAR METAL (TM) ANKLE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
May 8, 2018 $2,250 ZIPTIGHT ANKLE SYNDESMOSIS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC
Nov 20, 2018 $2,000 HAMMERTOE CERAMENT BONE VOID FILLER ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. SACHS CONSULTING, LLC

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/178992

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.