Physician profile
Robert A Cates
NPI 1548606114
$30,829.10
in general payments reported to CMS, 2019-2025
12 companies · $656 in 2025
The $656 reported for 2025 was more than what a typical Orthopaedic Surgery provider received nationally (typical 2025 total: $569).
Payments by year
General payments by program year, as reported to CMS.
General payments by year: 2019: $17K · 2020: $1,721 · 2021: $5,293 · 2022: $4,636 · 2023: $314 · 2024: $1,201 · 2025: $656.
What the payments were for
Nature of payment as categorized by the reporting companies: meals, consulting, travel, and so on.
Food and Beverage: $1,743 · Travel and Lodging: $427.
View as a table
| Payment type | Amount (2023-2025) |
|---|---|
| Food and Beverage | $1,743.10 |
| Travel and Lodging | $427.35 |
Payment-type detail covers 2023-2025; earlier years are included in totals but not broken out here.
Who reported paying
General payments only, as reported to CMS. Product names cover 2023-2025.
| Company | General payments | Years | Top products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthrex, INC. | $9,424.96 | 2019-2024 | |
| Gemini Medical LLC | $9,099.35 | 2019-2022 | |
| Smith+Nephew, INC. | $5,000.00 | 2019 | |
| Stryker Corporation | $2,254.72 | 2019-2025 | Triathlon, Tornier Perform Reversed Glenoid, Accolade |
| Foundation Medical, LLC | $2,006.66 | 2022-2025 | |
| Wardlow Enterprises | $1,431.00 | 2019 | |
| Depuy Synthes Sales INC. | $1,269.35 | 2019 | |
| Djo, LLC | $134.47 | 2019 | |
| Medical Device Business Services, INC. | $96.01 | 2019 | |
| Zimmer Biomet Holdings, INC. | $95.58 | 2021-2023 | Medline Industries, INC., Tapestry, Accufill |
| Avanos Medical | $13.96 | 2021 | |
| Orthofix Medical, INC. | $3.04 | 2019 |
Drugs and devices associated with these payments
CMS records which products a payment was associated with, not how the money was allocated. Association is not allocation: one payment can be associated with several products, and a product listing does not mean the payment was made because of that product. Product detail covers 2023-2025.
If you want to bring it up
Most clinicians are glad to talk about this. A respectful way in:
- "I saw Robert Cates listed in the CMS Open Payments database. Can you tell me about your work with those companies?"
- "Is there a generic or alternative to this medication, and would it work as well for me?"
- "What made you choose this particular treatment for my situation?"
These are normal questions. A good clinician will welcome them.
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Source: CMS Open Payments, program years 2019-2025, as reported to CMS by drug and device makers (published June 30, 2026). Drug and device detail covers 2023-2025.