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/271221
  • 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/271221
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.

GEORGE BABIKIAN

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
5 BUCKNAM RD, SUITE 1D, FALMOUTH, ME, 04105-1392

2018 Payments: At a Glance

58

payments

$38,209

payment total

2

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 10 $28,335
Travel and Lodging
 20 $7,717
Food and Beverage
 27 $1,532
Consulting
 1 $625

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†
ANTHOLOGY

device

 $31,250
R3

device

 $28,869
POLARSTEM

device

 $15,876
BIRMINGHAM HIP RESURFACING

device

 $12,737
POLARCUP

device

 $12,000
EVOS

device

 $3,873
JOURNEY II XR

device

 $1,048
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $953
NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $933
VERILAST HIPS

device

 $933
REDAPT REVISION HIP SYSTEM

device

 $811
SYNERGY HIP SYSTEM

device

 $625
UNIFI TECHNOLOGY

device

 $43
JOURNEY II BCS

device

 $23
† 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
Dec 5, 2018 $12,000 ANTHOLOGY BIRMINGHAM HIP RESURFACING POLARCUP POLARSTEM R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC
Jan 17, 2018 $3,320 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC.
Dec 6, 2018 $3,125 ANTHOLOGY POLARSTEM R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC
Mar 5, 2018 $1,660 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC.
Dec 3, 2018 $1,660 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC
Dec 3, 2018 $1,660 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC
Jan 17, 2018 $1,660 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC.
Jan 17, 2018 $1,250 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC.
Oct 4, 2018 $1,048 JOURNEY II XR Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $1,000 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC.
Jan 17, 2018 $1,000 ANTHOLOGY R3 Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC.
Mar 22, 2018 $982 EVOS Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $887 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $733 EVOS Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $625 ANTHOLOGY SYNERGY HIP SYSTEM Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. GMOB, LLC
Oct 10, 2018 $530 ANTHOLOGY BIRMINGHAM HIP RESURFACING POLARSTEM REDAPT REVISION HIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 14, 2018 $462 EVOS Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $444 EVOS Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $427 VERILAST HIPS NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 11, 2018 $366 ANTHOLOGY Travel and Lodging 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/271221

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.