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/88080
  • 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/88080
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.


LOWELL WEIL

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
1455 E GOLF RD, SUITE 110, DES PLAINES, IL, 60016-1250

2018 Payments: At a Glance

59

payments

$226,776

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
15 $226K
Food and Beverage
44 $745

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
DISTAL EXTREMITIES INSTRUMENTS DEVICE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS PLANTAR PLATE

device

$115K
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS SOFT TISSUE PLANTAR PLATE

device

$66,911
ANCHORAGE

device

$61,255
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS FOREFOOT PLANTAR PLATE

device

$47,871
TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM

device

$38,188
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$10,242
NEX FIX

device

$1,563
DUEXIS

drug

$290
ACCUFILL

device

$172
STAR

device

$125
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

$48
KRYSTEXXA

drug

$37
PHYSIO-STIM

drug

$30
EXOGEN

device

$24
SPRIX

drug

$18
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 15, 2018 $36,675 DISTAL EXTREMITIES INSTRUMENTS DEVICE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS PLANTAR PLATE DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS SOFT TISSUE PLANTAR PLATE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Feb 5, 2018 $33,954 ANCHORAGE Royalty or License STRYKER CORPORATION
May 15, 2018 $30,236 DISTAL EXTREMITIES INSTRUMENTS DEVICE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS PLANTAR PLATE DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS SOFT TISSUE PLANTAR PLATE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
May 3, 2018 $27,301 ANCHORAGE Royalty or License STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 15, 2018 $25,041 DISTAL EXTREMITIES INSTRUMENTS DEVICE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS PLANTAR PLATE DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS FOREFOOT PLANTAR PLATE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $22,830 DISTAL EXTREMITIES INSTRUMENTS DEVICE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTS PLANTAR PLATE DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS FOREFOOT PLANTAR PLATE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $10,770 TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM Royalty or License TREACE MEDICAL CONCEPTS, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $9,346 TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM Royalty or License TREACE MEDICAL CONCEPTS, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $9,224 TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM Royalty or License TREACE MEDICAL CONCEPTS, INC.
May 25, 2018 $8,847 TRIPLANAR FIXATION SYSTEM Royalty or License TREACE MEDICAL CONCEPTS, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $4,202 No Listed Product Royalty or License MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
May 8, 2018 $3,847 No Listed Product Royalty or License MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $2,192 No Listed Product Royalty or License MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $1,496 NEX FIX Royalty or License WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $125 STAR Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 30, 2018 $96 ACCUFILL Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $76 ACCUFILL Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $67 NEX FIX Royalty or License WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $30 PHYSIO-STIM Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $24 EXOGEN Food and Beverage BIOVENTUS LLC

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/88080

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.