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/302211
  • 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/302211
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.

JONATHAN SCHOEFF

Listed Specialty: Surgery
9397 CROWN CREST BLVD, SUITE 210, PARKER, CO, 80138-8575

2018 Payments: At a Glance

178

payments

$140,406

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 25 $83,543
Consulting
 8 $23,438
Travel and Lodging
 61 $20,070
Honoraria
 2 $9,375
Food and Beverage
 82 $3,980

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†
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $35,888
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

 $21,074
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

 $20,193
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

 $17,303
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $12,504
MAGNIFY-S

device

 $11,744
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $10,329
CAPSTONE

device

 $4,440
BACS

device

 $2,151
PRODISC C

device

 $1,128
RISE-L

device

 $976
CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

 $703
CLARITY RETRACTOR SYSTEM-LATERAL

device

 $450
ELSA ATP

device

 $415
ALIF

device

 $150
BIOFIX

device

 $129
SURGIMEND

device

 $129
ALEUTIAN INTERBODY SYSTEMS

device

 $116
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $109
INDEPENDENCE

device

 $105
† 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/302211

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 29, 2018 $8,250 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Promotional Speaking/Other AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Oct 11, 2018 $7,500 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 27, 2018 $7,000 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION Rocky Mountain Medical
Aug 14, 2018 $6,625 RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM Consulting K2M, INC. Rocky Mountain Advanced Spine Access, PC
Nov 10, 2018 $5,950 MAGNIFY-S Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 10, 2018 $5,313 RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM Consulting K2M, INC. Rocky Mountain Advanced Spine Access PC
Oct 16, 2018 $5,125 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Honoraria K2M, INC. Rocky Mountain Advanced Spine Access PC
Sep 5, 2018 $5,000 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $4,500 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Promotional Speaking/Other AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Nov 10, 2018 $4,463 MAGNIFY-S Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $4,250 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Honoraria K2M, INC. Rocky Mountain Advanced Spine Access, PC
May 10, 2018 $3,650 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $3,500 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 25, 2018 $3,450 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Promotional Speaking/Other AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Apr 3, 2018 $3,375 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 21, 2018 $3,100 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 4, 2018 $3,029 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $2,892 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 29, 2018 $2,754 CAPSTONE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $2,550 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC 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/302211

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.