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/5450600
  • 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/5450600
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.

APRIL NELSON

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
3700 KOLBE RD, LORAIN, OH, 44053-1611

2018 Payments: At a Glance

41

payments

$3,405

payment total

4

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 21 $2,675
Food and Beverage
 20 $729

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†
CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $1,339
SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS

device

 $1,339
TRUELOK

drug

 $1,312
TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM

device

 $626
CALCANEAL MINIFIXATOR

device

 $359
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM TIBIAL NAIL

device

 $359
CONTOURS VPS VOLAR PLATE

device

 $248
GALAXY WRIST

device

 $248
LRS ADVANCED

device

 $248
SMALL DAF

device

 $248
TRUELOK RING FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $248
CONTOURS PHP

device

 $238
ELBOW FIXATOR

device

 $238
FLEXIBLE REAMERS

device

 $238
PANTA NAIL

device

 $143
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $123
ANKLE COMPRESSION NAIL (ACN)

device

 $121
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM HUMERAL NAIL

device

 $121
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM SUPRACONDYLAR AND RETROGRADE NAIL

device

 $121
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS COMPRESSION SCREWS METAL COMPRESSION SCREWS

device

 $24
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 11, 2018 $470 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 22, 2018 $451 TRUELOK Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $402 CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Aug 9, 2018 $400 TRUELOK Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 14, 2018 $248 LRS ADVANCED GALAXY WRIST CONTOURS VPS VOLAR PLATE TRUELOK RING FIXATION SYSTEM SMALL DAF Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 1, 2018 $238 CENTRONAIL TITANIUM TIBIAL NAIL CALCANEAL MINIFIXATOR FLEXIBLE REAMERS ELBOW FIXATOR CONTOURS PHP Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $171 CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
May 22, 2018 $121 CENTRONAIL TITANIUM TIBIAL NAIL CENTRONAIL TITANIUM SUPRACONDYLAR AND RETROGRADE NAIL CENTRONAIL TITANIUM HUMERAL NAIL CALCANEAL MINIFIXATOR ANKLE COMPRESSION NAIL (ACN) Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $110 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 7, 2018 $93 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACELL, INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $76 TRUELOK Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 2, 2018 $72 TRUELOK Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $58 TRUELOK Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $34 TRUELOK Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $33 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Nov 8, 2018 $30 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 22, 2018 $30 CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 29, 2018 $29 TRUELOK Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 29, 2018 $29 TRUELOK Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $29 CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging 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/5450600

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.