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/33484
  • 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/33484
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.


RANDALL PORTER

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
2910 N 3RD AVE, PHOENIX, AZ, 85013-4434

2018 Payments: At a Glance

35

payments

$7,389

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
5 $3,145
Travel and Lodging
10 $2,839
Food and Beverage
20 $1,405

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
3D PRINTED PLIF/TLIF

device

$1,500
ELSA

device

$905
SPINE

device

$784
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

$633
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$520
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

device

$502
3D PRINTED INTEGRATED ALIF SPA

device

$500
MAZORX - RENAISSANCE

device

$409
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

$400
ALTERA

device

$263
CD HORIZON

device

$153
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$147
ARSENAL

device

$146
STEALTHSTATION

device

$145
XLIF

device

$109
LESSRAY

device

$80
MODULUS

device

$80
CODMAN CERTAS

device

$70
CODMAN HAKIM PRECISION VALVE

device

$70
CUSA CLARITY

device

$70
† 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/33484

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 26, 2018 $1,000 3D PRINTED PLIF/TLIF Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $866 ELSA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $784 SPINE Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 11, 2018 $625 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Consulting NEVRO CORP.
Nov 12, 2018 $520 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $500 3D PRINTED PLIF/TLIF Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $500 3D PRINTED INTEGRATED ALIF SPA Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 27, 2018 $400 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $289 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Mar 22, 2018 $198 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $171 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $157 ALTERA Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $147 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $146 ARSENAL Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Apr 23, 2018 $145 STEALTHSTATION Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $137 CD HORIZON Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 16, 2018 $106 ALTERA Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $83 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Mar 28, 2018 $80 LESSRAY XLIF MODULUS Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $70 CODMAN CERTAS CUSA CLARITY DURAGEN DURASEAL EXACT CODMAN HAKIM PRECISION VALVE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION

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/33484

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.