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/288832
  • 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/288832
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.


RAVI KARIA

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
8300 FLOYD CURL DR, 3RD FL -3C, SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78229-3931

2018 Payments: At a Glance

132

payments

$56,511

payment total

7

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
10 $23,863
Promotional Speaking/Other
3 $17,775
Travel and Lodging
47 $11,018
Food and Beverage
72 $3,855

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
PREVENA

device

$14,675
PERI-LOC

device

$14,195
PERI-LOC VLP

device

$14,195
TRIGEN META-NAIL

device

$14,195
TRIGEN SURESHOT

device

$14,195
AFFIXUS

device

$9,926
NCB INSTRUMENTS/PLATES/SCREWS

device

$8,489
ALPS PROX TIB PLATES

device

$8,375
CANNULATED SCREW

device

$8,375
ADAPTIC

device

$7,225
EVOS

device

$3,652
VAC VERAFLO

device

$3,475
VAC ULTA

device

$2,975
UPPER EXTREMITIES DISCUSSION

device

$647
TRIGEN FEMORAL (FAN/TAN/META NAIL)

device

$548
DVR ANATOMIC PLATES/SCREWS/PEGS

device

$332
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$237
AIM/ART INSTRUMENTS/NAILS/SCREWS

device

$186
CONQUEST FN

device

$170
TRIGEN INTERTAN

device

$142
† 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/288832

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 6, 2018 $7,225 ADAPTIC Consulting KCI USA, INC
Jun 27, 2018 $6,788 PERI-LOC PERI-LOC VLP TRIGEN META-NAIL TRIGEN SURESHOT Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $6,525 PERI-LOC PERI-LOC VLP TRIGEN META-NAIL TRIGEN SURESHOT Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $4,500 AFFIXUS NCB INSTRUMENTS/PLATES/SCREWS ALPS PROX TIB PLATES CANNULATED SCREW Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 11, 2018 $4,463 PREVENA Promotional Speaking/Other KCI USA, INC
May 15, 2018 $2,975 VAC ULTA Consulting KCI USA, INC
Mar 5, 2018 $2,100 EVOS Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $2,000 CANNULATED SCREW NCB INSTRUMENTS/PLATES/SCREWS AFFIXUS ALPS PROX TIB PLATES Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $1,875 AFFIXUS ALPS PROX TIB PLATES CANNULATED SCREW NCB INSTRUMENTS/PLATES/SCREWS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $1,700 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Dec 7, 2018 $1,488 PREVENA Consulting KCI USA, INC
Dec 7, 2018 $850 PREVENA Consulting KCI USA, INC
Sep 11, 2018 $850 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Dec 20, 2018 $627 UPPER EXTREMITIES DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $495 AFFIXUS Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $475 VAC VERAFLO Food and Beverage KCI USA, INC
Aug 23, 2018 $467 PREVENA VAC VERAFLO Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Oct 4, 2018 $457 PREVENA VAC VERAFLO Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Nov 15, 2018 $450 VAC VERAFLO PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Aug 30, 2018 $440 VAC VERAFLO PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, 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/288832

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.