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/180088
  • 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/180088
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 NORTON

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
670 GLADES RD, SUITE 200, BOCA RATON, FL, 33431-6461

2018 Payments: At a Glance

106

payments

$184,368

payment total

19

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
13 $98,205
Royalty or License
10 $57,097
Promotional Speaking/Other
1 $13,040
Travel and Lodging
32 $8,171
Nonaccredited Training
1 $5,000
Food and Beverage
48 $2,794
Gift
1 $60

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

$117K
PASS-LP

device

$23,498
UNID

device

$23,498
ACTIFUSE

device

$13,715
NO RELATED PRODUCT

device

$13,170
FLOSEAL

drug

$13,136
TLIF

device

$6,373
REFORM TI

device

$5,530
FLAREHAWK

device

$3,089
XLIF

device

$1,473
TISSEEL

drug

$739
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

$264
VAULT C

device

$140
CMF OL1000

device

$138
CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE

device

$106
DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$106
ALLY BONE SCREW

device

$106
BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE

device

$106
MYSPINE

device

$61
CMF SPINALOGIC

device

$55
† 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/180088

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 4, 2018 $16,000 No Listed Product Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Robert Norton MD PA
Nov 29, 2018 $15,000 No Listed Product Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Robert Norton MD PA
May 10, 2018 $13,040 ACTIFUSE Promotional Speaking/Other BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Aug 15, 2018 $12,535 No Listed Product Royalty or License OSSEUS FUSION SYSTEMS, LLC
Nov 27, 2018 $12,267 No Listed Product Royalty or License OSSEUS FUSION SYSTEMS, LLC
Oct 11, 2018 $12,225 FLOSEAL NO RELATED PRODUCT Consulting BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Jul 19, 2018 $12,000 No Listed Product Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Robert Norton MD PA
May 30, 2018 $9,350 No Listed Product Royalty or License OSSEUS FUSION SYSTEMS, LLC
Jul 12, 2018 $8,500 PASS-LP UNID Consulting MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Feb 1, 2018 $7,500 PASS-LP UNID Consulting MEDICREA USA, CORP.
May 30, 2018 $7,227 No Listed Product Royalty or License OSSEUS FUSION SYSTEMS, LLC
Feb 14, 2018 $7,200 No Listed Product Consulting AMENDIA, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $6,750 No Listed Product Consulting AMENDIA, INC.
Jul 31, 2018 $5,250 No Listed Product Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Robert Norton MD PA
Dec 13, 2018 $5,000 TLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. Robert Norton MD PA
Oct 30, 2018 $4,761 PASS-LP UNID Royalty or License MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Aug 21, 2018 $3,162 REFORM TI Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $2,967 No Listed Product Royalty or License OSSEUS FUSION SYSTEMS, LLC
May 30, 2018 $2,755 No Listed Product Royalty or License OSSEUS FUSION SYSTEMS, LLC
Mar 7, 2018 $2,250 FLAREHAWK Consulting INTEGRITY IMPLANTS INC Robert Norton MD, PA

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/180088

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.