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/2153
  • 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/2153
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.

ZACHARY CHILD

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
8300 FLOYD CURL DR, STE 3C, SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78229-3931

2018 Payments: At a Glance

60

payments

$43,059

payment total

3

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 14 $37,500
Travel and Lodging
 23 $4,766
Food and Beverage
 23 $792

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†
TIMBERLINE

device

 $29,204
TIMBERLINE MPF

device

 $15,532
VITALITY

device

 $15,456
POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $15,450
VITALITY POWER

device

 $15,450
ALPINE XC

device

 $11,357
ASPEN

device

 $11,357
CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM

device

 $11,357
PATHFINDER NXT

device

 $11,357
SPINE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $10,800
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

 $1,121
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $976
POLARIS S.S. SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $743
WALTER

device

 $87
TRITANIUM

device

 $22
ROSA

device

 $17
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 26, 2018 $10,800 SPINE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $5,550 VITALITY VITALITY POWER TIMBERLINE TIMBERLINE MPF POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $4,800 ALPINE XC ASPEN CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM PATHFINDER NXT TIMBERLINE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $2,550 ALPINE XC CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM ASPEN TIMBERLINE PATHFINDER NXT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $2,400 VITALITY VITALITY POWER TIMBERLINE TIMBERLINE MPF POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $2,400 TIMBERLINE VITALITY VITALITY POWER POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM TIMBERLINE MPF Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $1,800 TIMBERLINE POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM VITALITY TIMBERLINE MPF VITALITY POWER Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $1,500 TIMBERLINE MPF VITALITY POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM TIMBERLINE VITALITY POWER Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $1,500 TIMBERLINE VITALITY VITALITY POWER POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM TIMBERLINE MPF Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $1,200 ASPEN ALPINE XC TIMBERLINE PATHFINDER NXT CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $1,200 TIMBERLINE ASPEN ALPINE XC CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM PATHFINDER NXT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $1,200 TIMBERLINE CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM ASPEN PATHFINDER NXT ALPINE XC Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 16, 2018 $789 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $743 POLARIS S.S. SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $510 TIMBERLINE Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $376 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $330 TIMBERLINE Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $300 VITALITY POLARIS POSTERIOR SPINAL SYSTEM TIMBERLINE MPF VITALITY POWER TIMBERLINE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $300 TIMBERLINE ASPEN PATHFINDER NXT ALPINE XC CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 6, 2018 $288 TIMBERLINE Travel and Lodging 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/2153

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.