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/846195
  • 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/846195
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.


VAMSI KANCHERLA

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
801 OSTRUM ST, PPHP2, BETHLEHEM, PA, 18015-1000

2018 Payments: At a Glance

110

payments

$16,005

payment total

22

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
37 $6,911
Consulting
2 $4,767
Food and Beverage
70 $4,128
Education
1 $199

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

$6,949
TRITANIUM

device

$2,047
EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$1,093
CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE

device

$782
DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$782
ALLY BONE SCREW

device

$782
BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE

device

$782
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

$761
PROLIFT

device

$758
SERRATO

device

$746
ARIA

device

$746
OASYS

device

$685
AERO

device

$652
ES2

device

$625
NONE

device

$606
BIO4

device

$412
VITOSS

device

$412
PIRANHA

device

$380
ALTERA

device

$313
PRODISC L

device

$176
† 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/846195

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 14, 2018 $4,739 No Listed Product Consulting DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Aug 20, 2018 $584 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Sep 5, 2018 $465 EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Nov 22, 2018 $438 PROLIFT Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $422 ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 5, 2018 $422 EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $412 TRITANIUM VITOSS BIO4 ARIA Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 17, 2018 $382 NONE Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 29, 2018 $380 PIRANHA Food and Beverage SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $343 OASYS SERRATO TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 18, 2018 $319 AERO OASYS TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 1, 2018 $283 CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM ALLY BONE SCREW BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE Travel and Lodging PROVIDENCE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $259 CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM ALLY BONE SCREW BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE Travel and Lodging PROVIDENCE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $240 CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM ALLY BONE SCREW BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE Travel and Lodging PROVIDENCE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 21, 2018 $233 ALTERA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 24, 2018 $211 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Aug 23, 2018 $211 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Mar 11, 2018 $199 No Listed Product Education MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $196 TRITANIUM AERO ARIA SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 17, 2018 $178 EVEREST SPINAL 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/846195

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.