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/83800
  • 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/83800
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.


MARK HOFBAUER

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist
800 PLAZA DR, STE 240, BELLE VERNON, PA, 15012-4019

2018 Payments: At a Glance

100

payments

$87,621

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
18 $63,663
Royalty or License
2 $12,633
Travel and Lodging
18 $6,166
Food and Beverage
60 $3,107
Honoraria
1 $2,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
1 $52

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
VARIAX

device

$34,513
CROSSCHECK

device

$33,080
ANCHORAGE

device

$28,936
ASNIS

device

$10,893
ORTHOLOC

device

$9,705
COLINK

device

$4,798
ALLOAID ALLOGRAFT

drug

$2,798
TRIWAY TTC NAIL

device

$2,798
IBS

device

$2,000
HOFFMANN

device

$1,758
MIS INSTRUMENTATION

device

$558
TENJET

device

$355
SPINEJET

device

$355
ALLOJET

device

$355
BIOVANCE

drug

$336
KRYSTEXXA

drug

$115
STAR

device

$113
DUEXIS

drug

$104
AXSOS

device

$101
BIO4

device

$101
† 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/83800

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 27, 2018 $14,400 VARIAX ANCHORAGE Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 25, 2018 $9,800 ANCHORAGE VARIAX ASNIS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
May 14, 2018 $6,571 CROSSCHECK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Aug 13, 2018 $6,410 CROSSCHECK Royalty or License WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $6,333 CROSSCHECK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $6,223 CROSSCHECK Royalty or License WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $5,950 VARIAX Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 21, 2018 $3,520 ORTHOLOC Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
May 3, 2018 $3,500 CROSSCHECK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $3,500 ORTHOLOC Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $2,000 COLINK IBS Honoraria IN2BONES USA, LLC
Mar 1, 2018 $1,760 CROSSCHECK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
May 3, 2018 $1,760 CROSSCHECK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $1,600 HOFFMANN Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 14, 2018 $1,500 COLINK TRIWAY TTC NAIL ALLOAID ALLOGRAFT Consulting IN2BONES USA, LLC
Jun 21, 2018 $1,200 ANCHORAGE Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 9, 2018 $1,123 VARIAX ANCHORAGE Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 9, 2018 $920 ORTHOLOC Travel and Lodging WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $880 ORTHOLOC Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jan 5, 2018 $793 ANCHORAGE VARIAX ASNIS Travel and Lodging 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/83800

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.