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/307343
  • 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/307343
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.

ARMEN DEUKMEDJIAN

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
2 TAMPA GENERAL CIR, STC 7TH FLOOR, TAMPA, FL, 33606-3603

2018 Payments: At a Glance

50

payments

$25,719

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 6 $18,938
Consulting
 1 $2,327
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,948
Food and Beverage
 38 $1,307
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $1,200

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†
ALTERA

device

 $10,617
ELSA

device

 $7,792
LONESTAR CERVICAL STAND ALONE (CSA)

device

 $2,327
NGAGE SURGICAL MESH SYSTEM

device

 $2,327
PHOENIX MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $2,327
PSO INSTRUMENT SET

device

 $2,327
PILLAR SA PTC SPACER SYSTEM

device

 $2,327
MARS 3VL

device

 $1,500
XLIF

device

 $1,265
RISE-L

device

 $1,170
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $284
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $210
MARS 3V LATERAL RETRACTOR

device

 $135
CREO MCS

device

 $79
INTELLIS

device

 $45
RAMPART DUO INTERBODY FUSION SYSTEM

device

 $42
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $32
FORTIFY

device

 $27
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $22
DERMABOND PORTFOLIO

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/307343

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 20, 2018 $4,875 ALTERA Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 20, 2018 $4,500 ALTERA Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $3,938 ELSA Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $3,000 ELSA Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $2,327 NGAGE SURGICAL MESH SYSTEM PSO INSTRUMENT SET PILLAR SA PTC SPACER SYSTEM LONESTAR CERVICAL STAND ALONE (CSA) PHOENIX MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINAL FIXATION SYSTEM Consulting ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 4, 2018 $1,500 MARS 3VL Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 18, 2018 $1,200 XLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. Armen Deukmedjian
Nov 26, 2018 $1,125 RISE-L Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 20, 2018 $1,046 ALTERA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $709 ELSA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $150 EXCELSIUS - GPS Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 27, 2018 $128 ALTERA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 17, 2018 $126 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 26, 2018 $93 EXCELSIUS - GPS Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $69 ELSA Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 20, 2018 $68 ALTERA Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $65 XLIF Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $65 ELSA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $60 MARS 3V LATERAL RETRACTOR Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $60 MARS 3V LATERAL RETRACTOR Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, 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/307343

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.