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/285730
  • 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/285730
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.


JENS-PETER WITT

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
12605 E 16TH AVE, AURORA, CO, 80045-2545

2018 Payments: At a Glance

59

payments

$24,020

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Nonaccredited Training
1 $12,500
Consulting
2 $6,690
Travel and Lodging
15 $2,912
Food and Beverage
40 $1,862
Gift
1 $56

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

$13,894
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

$4,493
VIPER

device

$3,258
SPINE

device

$614
MOBI-C

device

$239
BIPOLAR FORCEPS INSERT, STERILE, 2/PKG

device

$222
TIMBERLINE

device

$204
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

$202
ACTIVA

device

$133
PULSE

device

$128
ELSA

device

$109
INDEPENDENCE

device

$105
TRITANIUM

device

$85
CONCORDE

device

$81
PRIMAGEN

device

$56
XLIF

device

$43
NAVIGATION

device

$38
BACS

device

$36
VIVIGEN

device

$23
RISE

device

$20
† 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/285730

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 20, 2018 $12,500 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. University Physicians, Inc.
Jun 15, 2018 $3,600 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Consulting AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Jan 24, 2018 $3,090 VIPER Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $614 SPINE Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $453 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
May 19, 2018 $361 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Mar 2, 2018 $223 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Mar 2, 2018 $223 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Mar 7, 2018 $202 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Nov 7, 2018 $202 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $155 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Mar 2, 2018 $140 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
May 19, 2018 $135 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Feb 27, 2018 $133 ACTIVA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 19, 2018 $126 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Food and Beverage AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
May 19, 2018 $124 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Feb 27, 2018 $123 VIPER Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $114 MOBI-C Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 25, 2018 $109 MOBI-C Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $105 TIMBERLINE Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, 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/285730

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.