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/226995
  • 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/226995
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.

ALEXANDER SAH

Listed Specialty: Adult Reconstructive Orthopaedic Surgery
38690 STIVERS ST STE A, FREMONT, CA, 94536-5336

2018 Payments: At a Glance

195

payments

$157,502

payment total

21

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 38 $103K
Promotional Speaking/Other
 16 $37,520
Travel and Lodging
 52 $10,098
Food and Beverage
 88 $4,335
Honoraria
 1 $3,000

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†
PERSONA

device

 $37,353
ZILRETTA

drug

 $34,148
EXPAREL

drug

 $29,473
AQUAMANTYS

device

 $16,966
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $12,051
TM TIB

device

 $5,500
HTX-011

drug

 $5,123
DJO SURGICAL TAPERFILL HIP SYSTEM

device

 $3,595
AQUACEL AG

device

 $3,575
HIP IMPLANT

device

 $3,162
DJO SURGICAL EXPRT REVISION HIP

device

 $3,120
DJO SURGICAL FMP ACETABULAR SYSTEM

device

 $3,120
KNEE IMPLANT

device

 $2,360
PREVENA

device

 $1,800
VERASENSE

device

 $499
DJO SURGICAL CLP HIP SYSTEM

device

 $359
KNEE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $313
ATTUNE

device

 $232
TRAUMA PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $201
MPO HIP SYSTEM

device

 $134
† 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/226995

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 7, 2018 $7,600 EXPAREL Promotional Speaking/Other PACIRA PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
May 9, 2018 $7,000 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $5,625 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $5,000 TM TIB Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 27, 2018 $4,900 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $4,900 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $4,875 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $4,550 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $4,375 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $4,130 EXPAREL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Mar 11, 2018 $4,130 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $4,000 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $4,000 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $3,875 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $3,575 AQUACEL AG Consulting CONVATEC INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $3,540 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 31, 2018 $3,500 PERSONA Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $3,325 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 21, 2018 $3,000 DJO SURGICAL EXPRT REVISION HIP DJO SURGICAL FMP ACETABULAR SYSTEM DJO SURGICAL TAPERFILL HIP SYSTEM Honoraria ENCORE MEDICAL, LP
Jun 20, 2018 $2,950 HIP IMPLANT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, 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/226995

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.