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/386335
  • 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/386335
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.

CHI LIM

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
1330 BOILING SPRINGS RD, SPARTANBURG, SC, 29303-4201

2018 Payments: At a Glance

62

payments

$22,530

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $14,224
Consulting
 1 $3,821
Food and Beverage
 52 $3,326
Travel and Lodging
 5 $1,160

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†
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $10,405
RIALTO

device

 $4,261
SOVEREIGN

device

 $3,821
CD HORIZON

device

 $1,002
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $858
AXIUM INS DRG IPG

device

 $332
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $321
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $272
CLYDESDALE

device

 $154
PRODIGY FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $141
PICO

device

 $139
CMF SPINALOGIC

device

 $130
MAZORX - RENAISSANCE

device

 $123
O-ARM-ST

device

 $104
CONCORDE

device

 $101
VIPER

device

 $100
INFINITY OCT SYSTEM

device

 $85
COUGAR

device

 $80
PENTA SCS LEADS

device

 $28
PENNSAID

drug

 $25
† 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/386335

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 11, 2018 $4,261 RIALTO Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $3,821 SOVEREIGN Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $3,466 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $3,466 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $3,031 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $410 CD HORIZON Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $258 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $236 CD HORIZON Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $229 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 22, 2018 $156 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $154 CLYDESDALE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 29, 2018 $151 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 1, 2018 $142 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 20, 2018 $141 PRODIGY FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 7, 2018 $141 DIVERGENCE-L Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $139 PICO Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 22, 2018 $130 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 16, 2018 $130 CMF SPINALOGIC Food and Beverage DJO, LLC
Feb 15, 2018 $119 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 3, 2018 $114 No Listed Product Food and Beverage IMPLANET AMERICA, 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/386335

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.