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/246395
  • 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/246395
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.

ALAN BLOCK

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist
117 LAZELLE RD, SUITE B, COLUMBUS, OH, 43235-8605

2018 Payments: At a Glance

116

payments

$30,086

payment total

20

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Nonaccredited Training
 7 $12,000
Travel and Lodging
 34 $10,497
Food and Beverage
 73 $3,908
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $3,680

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†
COOK MEDICAL IAA

device

 $7,535
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $5,423
TURBOHAWK

device

 $3,680
COOK MEDICAL FILTERS

device

 $3,000
NEOX

drug

 $1,804
CLARIX

drug

 $1,804
COOK MEDICAL PERIPHERAL INTERVENTION

device

 $1,746
HOFFMANN

device

 $1,358
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $1,137
COOK MEDICAL CATHETERS

device

 $988
MIS INSTRUMENTATION

device

 $620
COOK MEDICAL STENTS

device

 $568
KRYSTEXXA

drug

 $395
SALVATION

device

 $256
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $240
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $187
BAXDELA

drug

 $176
AUGMENT

device

 $125
AFX

device

 $109
OVATION

device

 $109
† 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/246395

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 1, 2018 $3,000 COOK MEDICAL FILTERS Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Jun 18, 2018 $1,840 TURBOHAWK Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $1,840 TURBOHAWK Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 3, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Oct 22, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Dec 19, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Jul 25, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Sep 24, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Mar 14, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL PERIPHERAL INTERVENTION Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Jan 30, 2018 $988 COOK MEDICAL CATHETERS Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Nov 1, 2018 $959 HOFFMANN Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 12, 2018 $804 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $725 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Aug 31, 2018 $703 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Jun 12, 2018 $632 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Apr 3, 2018 $568 COOK MEDICAL STENTS Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Oct 11, 2018 $492 MIS INSTRUMENTATION Travel and Lodging WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $485 NEOX CLARIX Travel and Lodging AMNIOX MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $482 NEOX CLARIX Travel and Lodging AMNIOX MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $456 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC

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/246395

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.