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/3150259
  • 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/3150259
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.


JOEY GROCHMAL

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
3502 9TH ST STE 430, LUBBOCK, TX, 79415

2018 Payments: At a Glance

51

payments

$9,730

payment total

5

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
21 $7,775
Food and Beverage
30 $1,956

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

$2,200
SI-LOK

device

$1,764
XIA

device

$1,131
CHESAPEAKE INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

$1,102
O-ARM-ST

device

$796
RISE-L

device

$722
ES2

device

$651
SPINE

device

$310
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

$238
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

$216
RISE INTRA LIF

device

$213
O-ARM-SPINE

device

$189
NAV - SPINEMAP 3D NAVIGATION SOFTWARE AND INSTRUMENTATION

device

$139
NAVIGATOR

device

$125
ELSA

device

$125
CREO MCS

device

$101
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

$99
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

$99
EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$97
ALEUTIAN INTERBODY SYSTEMS

device

$44
† 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/3150259

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 20, 2018 $2,116 ALTERA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 7, 2018 $1,484 SI-LOK Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $744 CHESAPEAKE INTERBODY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Sep 5, 2018 $651 XIA ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 12, 2018 $489 RISE-L Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $382 XIA Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 9, 2018 $359 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $330 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $310 SPINE Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $230 CHESAPEAKE INTERBODY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $185 RISE-L Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 7, 2018 $168 SI-LOK Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $148 RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $139 NAV - SPINEMAP 3D NAVIGATION SOFTWARE AND INSTRUMENTATION Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 14, 2018 $125 NAVIGATOR Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 21, 2018 $125 ELSA Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 8, 2018 $112 SI-LOK Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $109 RISE INTRA LIF Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $108 O-ARM-SPINE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $104 RISE INTRA LIF 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/3150259

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.