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/369963
  • 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/369963
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.

FERNANDO RAVESSOUD

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
2530 S TELSHOR BLVD, SUITE 201, LAS CRUCES, NM, 88011-4951

2018 Payments: At a Glance

49

payments

$3,215

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 6 $1,762
Food and Beverage
 43 $1,454

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†
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $1,014
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

 $960
PENTA SCS LEADS

device

 $270
SCS LEADS

device

 $152
COFLEX

device

 $129
XLIF

device

 $110
AXIUM SHEATH BRAIDED DRG

device

 $101
NAV - SPINEMASK

device

 $67
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $60
LAMINOPLASTY

device

 $46
SHORELINE

device

 $46
SIERRA

device

 $46
SCS IPGS

device

 $44
OCTRODE SCS LEADS

device

 $42
BENDINI

device

 $37
APLIGRAF

drug

 $30
TYMLOS

drug

 $29
HYALGAN

device

 $22
HYMOVIS

device

 $22
CMF OL1000

device

 $21
† 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/369963

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 2, 2018 $652 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Jan 30, 2018 $633 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 30, 2018 $194 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 2, 2018 $146 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Nov 30, 2018 $133 PENTA SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 26, 2018 $129 COFLEX Food and Beverage PARADIGM SPINE, LLC
Jan 30, 2018 $129 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 7, 2018 $118 SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 15, 2018 $110 XLIF Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $101 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Food and Beverage AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Oct 6, 2018 $101 AXIUM SHEATH BRAIDED DRG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 18, 2018 $67 NAV - SPINEMASK Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 11, 2018 $60 No Listed Product Food and Beverage CAMBER SPINE TECHNOLOGIES
May 23, 2018 $52 PENTA SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 9, 2018 $46 SHORELINE LAMINOPLASTY SIERRA Food and Beverage SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Mar 14, 2018 $37 BENDINI Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Dec 21, 2018 $35 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 3, 2018 $30 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Food and Beverage AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Sep 21, 2018 $30 APLIGRAF Food and Beverage ORGANOGENESIS INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $29 TYMLOS Food and Beverage RADIUS HEALTH, 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/369963

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.