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/70417
  • 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/70417
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.


THOMAS KOVACK

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
3663 RIDGE MILL DR, SUITE 100, HILLIARD, OH, 43026-7799

2018 Payments: At a Glance

72

payments

$13,415

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
53 $4,467
Travel and Lodging
17 $3,992
Royalty or License
1 $2,555
Honoraria
1 $2,400

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
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$2,735
HEMICAP SHOULDER

device

$2,637
MAKO

device

$2,484
REUNION

device

$2,024
SONICANCHOR

device

$1,628
TRIATHLON

device

$1,531
AXSOS

device

$1,333
VARIAX

device

$881
HIP ARTHROSCOPY ACCESS & INSTRUMENTATION SET

device

$536
REGENETEN

device

$450
AQUAMANTYS

device

$300
MI-EYE

device

$285
GLENOJET

device

$204
ADAPT

device

$150
CINCHLOCK SS

device

$149
KRYSTEXXA

drug

$122
INTRAFIX

device

$115
MILAGRO

device

$115
DUROLANE

device

$106
MEDACTA SHOULDER SYSTEM

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/70417

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 18, 2018 $2,555 No Listed Product Royalty or License THE PROGRESSIVE ORTHOPAEDICS COMPANY
Mar 20, 2018 $2,400 HEMICAP SHOULDER Honoraria ARTHROSURFACE INCORPORATED
Jul 19, 2018 $845 TRIATHLON SONICANCHOR REUNION VARIAX AXSOS Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 5, 2018 $480 MAKO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 19, 2018 $480 MAKO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 16, 2018 $480 MAKO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 6, 2018 $406 HIP ARTHROSCOPY ACCESS & INSTRUMENTATION SET Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 5, 2018 $323 REGENETEN Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 1, 2018 $285 MI-EYE Food and Beverage TRICE MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 11, 2018 $179 MAKO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 10, 2018 $168 MAKO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 7, 2018 $151 TRIATHLON Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 8, 2018 $151 TRIATHLON Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 16, 2018 $150 SONICANCHOR REUNION Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 11, 2018 $150 ADAPT Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 28, 2018 $149 CINCHLOCK SS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 13, 2018 $146 HEMICAP SHOULDER Food and Beverage ARTHROSURFACE INCORPORATED
Aug 30, 2018 $145 TRIATHLON SONICANCHOR Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 14, 2018 $143 REUNION SONICANCHOR AXSOS Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 15, 2018 $143 REUNION Food and Beverage STRYKER 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/70417

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.