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/199472
  • 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/199472
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.


STEVE LEE

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
535 E 70TH ST, NEW YORK, NY, 10021-4823

2018 Payments: At a Glance

49

payments

$23,133

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
3 $11,000
Consulting
4 $4,875
Royalty or License
4 $4,100
Food and Beverage
35 $2,600
Travel and Lodging
3 $558

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
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

$14,754
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

$14,754
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HAND & WRIST ANCHORS

device

$4,100
ACROVAL

device

$4,000
AXOGUARD NERVE CAP

device

$4,000
AXOTOUCH

device

$4,000
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$3,142
CHECKPOINT STIMULATORS

device

$439
DVR CROSSLOCK PLATES/SCREWS/PEGS

device

$113
NEURAGEN

device

$112
TENOGLIDE

device

$112
TRAUMA PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

$102
NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$101
PICO

device

$101
REGENETEN

device

$101
ARTHROPLASTY INSTRUMENTS KNEE & HIP ARTHROPLASTY SPORTKNEE

device

$70
BIODRESTORE

device

$64
BIOFIX

device

$64
EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

$53
FREEDOM WRIST

device

$53
† 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/199472

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 12, 2018 $4,500 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Promotional Speaking/Other AXOGEN
Oct 2, 2018 $4,500 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Promotional Speaking/Other AXOGEN
Jan 8, 2018 $4,000 AXOTOUCH ACROVAL AXOGUARD NERVE CAP AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR Consulting AXOGEN
Dec 6, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other AXOGEN
Nov 15, 2018 $1,304 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HAND & WRIST ANCHORS Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $1,150 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HAND & WRIST ANCHORS Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $833 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HAND & WRIST ANCHORS Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
May 15, 2018 $813 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HAND & WRIST ANCHORS Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
May 6, 2018 $764 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Aug 24, 2018 $511 AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Jul 3, 2018 $500 No Listed Product Consulting AXOGEN
Dec 6, 2018 $491 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging AXOGEN
Aug 14, 2018 $250 CHECKPOINT STIMULATORS Consulting CHECKPOINT SURGICAL, INC
May 8, 2018 $125 CHECKPOINT STIMULATORS Consulting CHECKPOINT SURGICAL, INC
Sep 29, 2018 $118 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Mar 8, 2018 $113 DVR CROSSLOCK PLATES/SCREWS/PEGS Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $108 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Apr 18, 2018 $105 No Listed Product Food and Beverage WARDLOW ENTERPRISES
Feb 24, 2018 $102 TRAUMA PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $101 PICO NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM REGENETEN Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, 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/199472

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.