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/139039
  • 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/139039
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.

RAMESH GOWDA

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
16TH ST AT 1ST AVE, BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER HEART INSTITUTE, NEW YORK, NY, 10003

2018 Payments: At a Glance

142

payments

$4,188

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 142 $4,188

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†
LUTONIX

device

 $420
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $405
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $373
HAWKONE

device

 $356
XIENCE SIERRA CORONARY STENT

device

 $345
CLOSUREFAST

device

 $195
INTERLOCK

device

 $185
BRILINTA

drug

 $180
LIFESTENT

device

 $151
IMPELLA

device

 $149
GENERAL METALLIC STENTS

device

 $146
RELAY PLUS

device

 $141
IDC

device

 $129
COOK MEDICAL INTRODUCERS

device

 $122
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $115
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $115
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $115
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $115
GENERAL ULTRASOUND

device

 $110
CVX-300

device

 $107
† 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/139039

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 23, 2018 $195 CLOSUREFAST Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $181 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $174 XIENCE SIERRA CORONARY STENT Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 4, 2018 $171 XIENCE SIERRA CORONARY STENT Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 7, 2018 $151 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $151 LIFESTENT Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
May 9, 2018 $150 INTERLOCK Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 13, 2018 $149 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 17, 2018 $149 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Nov 14, 2018 $146 GENERAL METALLIC STENTS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 28, 2018 $146 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $141 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Mar 27, 2018 $130 BRILINTA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Dec 4, 2018 $122 COOK MEDICAL INTRODUCERS Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED
Aug 14, 2018 $115 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 18, 2018 $110 GENERAL ULTRASOUND Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 23, 2018 $108 IDC Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 22, 2018 $95 CVX-300 Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Nov 27, 2018 $92 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $84 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS 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/139039

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.