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/28394
  • 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/28394
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.


BALA GIRI

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
1411 N BECKLEY AVE, PAVILLION III, SUITE 474, DALLAS, TX, 75203-1259

2018 Payments: At a Glance

57

payments

$8,787

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
11 $6,553
Food and Beverage
46 $2,234

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
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$3,959
TRITANIUM

device

$2,284
SERRATO

device

$1,665
XIA

device

$912
ES2

device

$708
ARIA

device

$577
BIO4

device

$265
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

$183
AERO

device

$142
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

$137
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

$125
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$106
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

$105
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

$81
VIPER

device

$57
VIVIGEN

device

$57
CALDOLOR

drug

$38
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

$30
COFLEX

device

$27
PICO

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.

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/28394

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 26, 2018 $3,842 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CTL MEDICAL CORPORATION
Jul 19, 2018 $577 ARIA XIA TRITANIUM ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 1, 2018 $547 TRITANIUM SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 20, 2018 $497 SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 1, 2018 $361 TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 2, 2018 $335 XIA Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 21, 2018 $183 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 5, 2018 $147 BIO4 Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 1, 2018 $143 TRITANIUM SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 20, 2018 $142 AERO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 1, 2018 $137 IFUSE IMPLANT Food and Beverage SI-BONE, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $135 SERRATO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 3, 2018 $132 TRITANIUM SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 23, 2018 $132 ES2 Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 4, 2018 $125 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 19, 2018 $85 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Nov 3, 2018 $81 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 20, 2018 $64 TRITANIUM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 11, 2018 $57 VIPER VIVIGEN Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Jun 6, 2018 $56 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION

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/28394

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.