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/64797
  • 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/64797
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.


IRA GOLDSTEIN

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
90 BERGEN ST, DOC 8100, NEWARK, NJ, 07103-2425

2018 Payments: At a Glance

63

payments

$39,622

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
4 $18,363
Consulting
12 $15,938
Food and Beverage
38 $3,211
Travel and Lodging
9 $2,110

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
SOLANAS

device

$18,363
3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY

device

$9,661
BIOMET SPINALPAK

device

$7,338
TRITANIUM

device

$1,175
VIRAGE

device

$389
XIA

device

$345
MONUMENT

device

$338
CAPRI CORPECTOMY CAGE SYSTEM

device

$335
CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

$329
SPINE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

$202
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$198
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

$162
BLUE RIDGE HYBRID CERVICAL PLATE SYSTEM

device

$156
ES2

device

$150
ANCHOR L

device

$146
BIO4

device

$117
CREO DEFORMITY

device

$109
MOJAVE PL 3D EXPANDABLE INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

$106
MAXAN CERVICAL SYSTEM

device

$106
TRINICA ANTERIOR LUMBAR PLATE

device

$106
† 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/64797

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 31, 2018 $5,078 SOLANAS Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
May 30, 2018 $4,590 SOLANAS Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Aug 27, 2018 $4,561 SOLANAS Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Nov 27, 2018 $4,134 SOLANAS Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Apr 24, 2018 $2,700 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $2,400 BIOMET SPINALPAK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $2,100 BIOMET SPINALPAK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $1,950 BIOMET SPINALPAK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $1,800 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $1,800 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $1,800 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $724 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 3, 2018 $450 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 2, 2018 $359 3D PRINTED CERVICAL INTERBODY Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $338 MONUMENT Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $335 CAPRI CORPECTOMY CAGE SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $329 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $300 BIOMET SPINALPAK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $198 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $156 BLUE RIDGE HYBRID CERVICAL PLATE SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, 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/64797

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.