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/94333
  • 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/94333
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.

RICHARD WEINER

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
8230 WALNUT HILL LN, STE 220, DALLAS, TX, 75231-4482

2018 Payments: At a Glance

40

payments

$51,398

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 7 $29,463
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $16,250
Travel and Lodging
 7 $3,518
Food and Beverage
 23 $2,167

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†
CELLERATERX

device

 $29,874
NAUTILUS, PLATEAU, AVATAR, PROLIFT, SOLSTICE

device

 $7,750
PROLIFT, MIS RETRACTOR, DYNA-LINK

device

 $6,000
SIMPACT

device

 $2,667
PROLIFT

device

 $1,000
MIS RETRACTOR

device

 $1,000
MIS RETRACTOR, DYNA-LINK

device

 $1,000
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $867
AVATAR 2.0, GRUVE, PLATEAU C, PROLIFT

device

 $825
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $231
ADAPTIVESTIM

device

 $91
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $76
ZTLIDO 30 POUCH IN 1 CARTON 1 PATCH IN 1 POUCH

drug

 $17
† 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
May 17, 2018 $20,250 CELLERATERX Consulting WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC
Aug 3, 2018 $7,750 NAUTILUS, PLATEAU, AVATAR, PROLIFT, SOLSTICE Promotional Speaking/Other LIFE SPINE, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $4,500 CELLERATERX Promotional Speaking/Other WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC
May 24, 2018 $4,500 PROLIFT, MIS RETRACTOR, DYNA-LINK Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC.
May 17, 2018 $4,000 CELLERATERX Promotional Speaking/Other WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC
Nov 9, 2018 $1,500 PROLIFT, MIS RETRACTOR, DYNA-LINK Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $1,099 SIMPACT Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $1,000 MIS RETRACTOR Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC.
Dec 18, 2018 $1,000 PROLIFT Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC.
Aug 31, 2018 $1,000 MIS RETRACTOR, DYNA-LINK Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $851 CELLERATERX Travel and Lodging WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC
May 24, 2018 $842 SIMPACT Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Jan 23, 2018 $436 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
May 3, 2018 $338 SIMPACT Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
May 15, 2018 $217 SIMPACT Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $213 No Listed Product Consulting STIMWAVE TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Aug 16, 2018 $145 CELLERATERX Food and Beverage WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC Perry's Steakhouse
Apr 26, 2018 $142 AVATAR 2.0, GRUVE, PLATEAU C, PROLIFT Food and Beverage LIFE SPINE, INC.
May 2, 2018 $128 CELLERATERX Food and Beverage WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC Nick & Sam's Park Cities
Sep 19, 2018 $127 AVATAR 2.0, GRUVE, PLATEAU C, PROLIFT Food and Beverage LIFE SPINE, 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/94333

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.