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/306889
  • 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/306889
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.

HOSUN HWANG

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
18220 STATE HIGHWAY 249, SUITE 400, HOUSTON, TX, 77070-4347

2018 Payments: At a Glance

32

payments

$12,553

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 5 $9,337
Travel and Lodging
 11 $2,319
Food and Beverage
 16 $896

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†
CENTURION POCT SYSTEM

device

 $8,778
FIREBIRD DEFORMITY CORRECTION SYSTEM

device

 $6,421
FIREBIRD NXG SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $6,421
SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM (SFS)

device

 $4,787
CONSTRUX MINI PTC SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $4,551
ATHLET

device

 $4,459
PILLAR SA PEEK SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $4,320
3-DEGREES ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATING (ACP) SYSTEM

device

 $2,369
FIREBIRD SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $2,369
BACS

device

 $1,337
FORZA PTC SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $612
ALL THOROCOLUMBAR PRODUCTS

drug

 $512
FIREBIRD

drug

 $467
PROVIEW MAP SYSTEM

device

 $467
RELIANT ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATING (ACP) SYSTEM

device

 $467
PILLAR SA PTC SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $467
EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $365
CONSTRUX MINI PEEK SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $170
EXPEDIUM

device

 $121
SAMBASCREW

device

 $114
† 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/306889

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 5, 2018 $4,320 CENTURION POCT SYSTEM PILLAR SA PEEK SPACER SYSTEM SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM (SFS) FIREBIRD DEFORMITY CORRECTION SYSTEM FIREBIRD NXG SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 12, 2018 $2,335 CONSTRUX MINI PTC SPACER SYSTEM FIREBIRD SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM CENTURION POCT SYSTEM 3-DEGREES ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATING (ACP) SYSTEM ATHLET Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 12, 2018 $2,102 CENTURION POCT SYSTEM ATHLET CONSTRUX MINI PTC SPACER SYSTEM FIREBIRD DEFORMITY CORRECTION SYSTEM FIREBIRD NXG SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 25, 2018 $1,181 BACS Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $467 FORZA PTC SPACER SYSTEM SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM (SFS) PROVIEW MAP SYSTEM RELIANT ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATING (ACP) SYSTEM PILLAR SA PTC SPACER SYSTEM Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $267 ALL THOROCOLUMBAR PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
May 14, 2018 $246 FIREBIRD Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 11, 2018 $194 FIREBIRD Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
May 4, 2018 $156 BACS Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $153 EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $133 EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Jul 3, 2018 $114 SKYHAWK LATERAL INTERBODY FUSION SYSTEM CONSTRUX MINI PTC SPACER SYSTEM SAMBASCREW CONSTRUX MINI PEEK SPACER SYSTEM FORZA PTC SPACER SYSTEM Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $106 EXPEDIUM SYNAPSE COUGAR Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Jun 8, 2018 $103 ALL THOROCOLUMBAR PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $94 TRITANIUM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 3, 2018 $79 EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $63 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $58 ALL THOROCOLUMBAR PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
May 8, 2018 $43 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jul 25, 2018 $42 BIOMET SPINALPAK 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/306889

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.