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/235146
  • 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/235146
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.

MATTHEW COLMAN

Listed Specialty: Surgical Oncology
3471 5TH AVE, KAUFMANN BLDG SUITE 911, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15213-3215

2018 Payments: At a Glance

33

payments

$14,552

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Honoraria
 1 $9,000
Travel and Lodging
 9 $3,249
Food and Beverage
 21 $1,303
Accredited Training
 2 $1,000

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†
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

 $10,207
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,581
ALIF

device

 $684
ALL THOROCOLUMBAR PRODUCTS

drug

 $627
FIREBIRD

drug

 $462
ALL CERVICAL PRODUCTS

drug

 $285
EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $172
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

 $170
BACS

device

 $169
CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

 $110
PHOENIX

drug

 $27
O-ARM-SPINE

device

 $22
BRECKENRIDE INTERBODY

device

 $21
ROI-A

device

 $21
TRINICA ANTERIOR LUMBAR PLATE

device

 $21
BONESCALPEL

device

 $15
† 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
Jun 7, 2018 $9,000 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Honoraria K2M, INC. MWC Spine LLC
Apr 12, 2018 $647 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $620 ALIF Travel and Lodging ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Apr 19, 2018 $579 ALL THOROCOLUMBAR PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $500 No Listed Product Accredited Training SYNTHES GMBH
Jul 27, 2018 $500 No Listed Product Accredited Training SYNTHES GMBH
May 22, 2018 $405 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $373 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging SYNTHES GMBH
May 10, 2018 $239 FIREBIRD Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
May 17, 2018 $172 EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jun 12, 2018 $170 RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $169 BACS Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
May 16, 2018 $156 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jan 24, 2018 $127 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ONKOS SURGICAL, INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $125 FIREBIRD Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
May 10, 2018 $104 ALL CERVICAL PRODUCTS Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $94 ALL CERVICAL PRODUCTS Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $94 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $81 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $63 ALIF Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, 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/235146

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.