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/883968
  • 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/883968
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.

ROBERT BUTLER

Listed Specialty: Hand Surgery
615 VONDERBURG DR, BRANDON, FL, 33511-5972

2018 Payments: At a Glance

66

payments

$68,299

payment total

4

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 14 $58,416
Travel and Lodging
 36 $7,881
Food and Beverage
 16 $2,002

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†
EQUINOXE

device

 $40,278
BIOWICK

device

 $8,423
JUGGERKNOT

device

 $6,012
DISTAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE

device

 $6,000
OLECRENON LOCKING PLATE

device

 $6,000
PROXIMAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE

device

 $6,000
DERMASPAN

device

 $5,429
SURELOCK

device

 $5,429
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $5,342
G7

device

 $1,094
ABSORB

device

 $494
FOOT AND ANKLE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $189
TRAUMA

device

 $148
TRIATHLON

device

 $148
TRITANIUM

device

 $148
PERSONA

device

 $99
COMPREHENSIVE HUMERAL

device

 $71
ABSOLUTE BI-POLAR SHOULDER

device

 $55
AUTOFIX

device

 $43
TAPERLOC

device

 $32
† 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/883968

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 5, 2018 $11,688 EQUINOXE Consulting EXACTECH, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $11,263 EQUINOXE Consulting EXACTECH, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $6,000 OLECRENON LOCKING PLATE PROXIMAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE DISTAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE Consulting BIEDERMANN MOTECH, INC.
May 31, 2018 $5,950 EQUINOXE Consulting EXACTECH, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $5,950 EQUINOXE Consulting EXACTECH, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $3,250 BIOWICK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $2,375 DERMASPAN SURELOCK JUGGERKNOT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $2,250 BIOWICK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $2,125 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $2,000 BIOWICK Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $2,000 DERMASPAN SURELOCK JUGGERKNOT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $1,206 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $1,154 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $1,000 DERMASPAN SURELOCK JUGGERKNOT Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $805 G7 Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $482 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $474 BIOWICK Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $462 EQUINOXE Food and Beverage EXACTECH, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $426 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, 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/883968

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.