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/96193
  • 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/96193
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.


JAVIER GARCIA-BENGOCHEA

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
800 PRUDENTIAL DR, TOWER B, 11TH FLOOR, JACKSONVILLE, FL, 32207-8202

2018 Payments: At a Glance

41

payments

$46,454

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
7 $41,616
Travel and Lodging
13 $3,171
Food and Beverage
21 $1,666

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
ARDIS

device

$40,216
XLIF

device

$2,880
NVM5

device

$2,785
ANT-CER II

device

$1,401
PULSE

device

$397
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

$365
OTHER - MIS

device

$207
CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

$156
LESSRAY

device

$141
ALPHA INFORMATIX

device

$138
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

device

$129
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$119
NSE - MIS BURS

device

$93
AVENUE L

device

$69
VAULT C

device

$64
ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

$29
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

$26
INFINITY OCT SYSTEM

device

$16
ALGOVITA

device

$7
† 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 26, 2018 $16,653 ARDIS Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 16, 2018 $13,559 ARDIS Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $10,004 ARDIS Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $1,849 XLIF NVM5 Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
May 16, 2018 $448 ANT-CER II Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $343 ANT-CER II Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $320 ANT-CER II Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $313 PULSE Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $289 ANT-CER II Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $219 NVM5 XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $219 NVM5 XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Mar 28, 2018 $173 XLIF NVM5 Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Mar 28, 2018 $159 NVM5 XLIF Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $156 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Apr 30, 2018 $146 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $141 LESSRAY Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $138 ALPHA INFORMATIX Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Mar 13, 2018 $129 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Oct 29, 2018 $119 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 1, 2018 $115 OTHER - MIS Food and Beverage ALPHATEC 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/96193

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.