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/339855
  • 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/339855
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.


HART GARNER

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
11850 BLACKFOOT ST NW, SUITE 490, COON RAPIDS, MN, 55433-2578

2018 Payments: At a Glance

70

payments

$5,086

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
61 $2,805
Travel and Lodging
9 $2,281

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
TRITANIUM

device

$1,681
ARIA

device

$1,134
OASYS

device

$1,134
SERRATO

device

$1,134
XIA

device

$1,134
O-ARM-ST

device

$704
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

$694
ELEVATE

device

$483
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$200
O-ARM-SPINE

device

$196
PRESTIGE

device

$152
INTELLIS

device

$147
BALLAST

device

$126
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

$122
ZIMMER BIOMET INSTRUMENTS AND IMPLANTS

device

$98
VIPER

device

$77
DIVERGENCE-L

device

$74
INTERFUSE

device

$68
OSTEOSTRAND PLUS

device

$63
TRINITY

drug

$61
† 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/339855

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 1, 2018 $607 ARIA OASYS XIA TRITANIUM SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 1, 2018 $451 ARIA OASYS XIA TRITANIUM SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
May 18, 2018 $377 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Jan 29, 2018 $275 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $207 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $204 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $153 ELEVATE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $150 TRITANIUM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 1, 2018 $150 TRITANIUM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 31, 2018 $150 TRITANIUM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 8, 2018 $140 PRESTIGE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $126 BALLAST Food and Beverage SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
May 18, 2018 $125 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Food and Beverage AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
May 18, 2018 $124 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Apr 11, 2018 $122 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 18, 2018 $119 ELEVATE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 22, 2018 $106 O-ARM-SPINE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $68 INTERFUSE Food and Beverage VERTEBRAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $66 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $66 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage 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/339855

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.