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/924838
  • 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/924838
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.

JAMES COTTOM

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
2030 BEE RIDGE RD, STE B, SARASOTA, FL, 34239-6108

2018 Payments: At a Glance

130

payments

$160,995

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 22 $64,183
Consulting
 52 $57,452
Royalty or License
 4 $32,943
Travel and Lodging
 22 $4,415
Food and Beverage
 29 $1,268
Education
 1 $735

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

 $63,144
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HINDFOOT & ANKLE CALCANEUS

device

 $32,943
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS JONES FRACTURE

device

 $32,943
CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $30,993
SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS

device

 $30,993
TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM

device

 $24,831
PANTA NAIL

device

 $24,506
BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM

device

 $13,922
FLOWABLE

device

 $13,922
INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM

device

 $13,922
IDRT

device

 $13,732
EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $5,750
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS SOFT TISSUE TENODESIS

device

 $5,656
ACTISHIELD

drug

 $3,520
TRUESHOT

device

 $3,076
BIOLOGICS CONSUMABLES SOFT TISSUE REPAIR AMNION

drug

 $2,338
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS NITINOL OTHER

device

 $1,925
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS TENODESIS OTHER

device

 $1,275
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS BIOSYNC WEDGES

device

 $638
DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS NITINOL

device

 $638
† 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/924838

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 26, 2018 $10,891 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $10,653 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HINDFOOT & ANKLE CALCANEUS DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS JONES FRACTURE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $8,298 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HINDFOOT & ANKLE CALCANEUS DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS JONES FRACTURE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $7,863 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $7,541 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HINDFOOT & ANKLE CALCANEUS DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS JONES FRACTURE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
May 15, 2018 $6,451 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HINDFOOT & ANKLE CALCANEUS DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS JONES FRACTURE Royalty or License ARTHREX, INC.
May 10, 2018 $5,525 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $5,000 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM IDRT FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $4,569 No Listed Product Consulting ARTHREX, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $4,463 DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS SOFT TISSUE TENODESIS Consulting ARTHREX, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $4,000 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM IDRT FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Dec 21, 2018 $4,000 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $3,931 No Listed Product Consulting ARTHREX, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $3,875 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Dec 21, 2018 $3,250 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ASCENSION ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
Dec 21, 2018 $3,250 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ASCENSION ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $3,081 No Listed Product Consulting ARTHREX, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $3,081 No Listed Product Consulting ARTHREX, INC.
Jun 26, 2018 $3,000 TRUESHOT Consulting LINVATEC CORPORATION
May 10, 2018 $2,763 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, 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/924838

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.