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/847071
  • 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/847071
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.


CHARLIE YANG

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
2535 S DOWNING ST, SUITE 100, DENVER, CO, 80210-5847

2018 Payments: At a Glance

98

payments

$264,168

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
29 $203K
Travel and Lodging
19 $32,918
Promotional Speaking/Other
12 $26,346
Food and Beverage
38 $2,089

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
ATTUNE

device

$190K
HP PARTIAL

device

$130K
AQUAMANTYS

device

$29,164
AVENIR COMPLETE

device

$17,250
U2, PSA, U-MOTION II, UTS, UTF

device

$13,157
ACIS

device

$6,950
RECLAIM

device

$6,950
GRIPTION

device

$6,032
TRI-LOCK

device

$6,032
KNEE IMPLANT

device

$3,166
U2, U-MOTION II, UTS

device

$2,520
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$1,104
PLASMABLADE

device

$525
DERMABOND PORTFOLIO

device

$393
STRATAFIX

device

$393
PERSONA

device

$266
CORAIL

device

$205
JOURNEY II XR

device

$114
SIGMA

device

$110
LCP PLATES & SCREWS

device

$100
† 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/847071

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 24, 2018 $58,442 ATTUNE HP PARTIAL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 4, 2018 $55,627 ATTUNE HP PARTIAL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $16,883 ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $10,000 ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 2, 2018 $9,375 ATTUNE HP PARTIAL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $8,816 U2, PSA, U-MOTION II, UTS, UTF Travel and Lodging UOC USA INC
Jun 14, 2018 $6,710 ACIS ATTUNE RECLAIM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 22, 2018 $5,985 TRI-LOCK GRIPTION Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $5,625 ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 24, 2018 $5,354 ATTUNE Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $5,000 ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $5,000 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $4,000 AVENIR COMPLETE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $3,750 AVENIR COMPLETE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $3,750 ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 26, 2018 $3,250 AVENIR COMPLETE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $3,152 KNEE IMPLANT Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $3,125 ATTUNE HP PARTIAL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 31, 2018 $3,060 U2, PSA, U-MOTION II, UTS, UTF Travel and Lodging UOC USA INC
Jul 24, 2018 $2,813 ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, 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/847071

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.