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/164309
  • 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/164309
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.


LOUIS SALVAGGIO

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
2730 AMBASSADOR CAFFERY PKWY, LAFAYETTE, LA, 70506-5939

2018 Payments: At a Glance

125

payments

$26,001

payment total

20

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Honoraria
7 $16,750
Food and Beverage
100 $5,126
Travel and Lodging
18 $4,124

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
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

$17,454
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

$1,692
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$1,538
IMPELLA

device

$1,189
ASAHI PTCA GUIDE WIRE

device

$852
STINGRAY

device

$783
ASAHI CORSAIRPRO MICROCATHETER

device

$431
ASAHI CARAVEL MICROCATHETER

device

$431
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

$300
ENTRESTO

drug

$226
COREVALVE EVOLUT

device

$221
CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM

device

$161
RESOLUTE

device

$158
CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

$154
VASCUTRAK

device

$143
LIVALO

drug

$135
APLIGRAF

drug

$124
DERMAGRAFT

device

$124
PURAPLY/AFFINITY/NUTECH

device

$124
REPATHA

drug

$116
† 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/164309

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 25, 2018 $2,750 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 6, 2018 $2,750 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 6, 2018 $2,750 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $2,750 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 6, 2018 $2,750 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 2, 2018 $1,500 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 22, 2018 $1,500 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 15, 2018 $757 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CORINDUS INC.
May 24, 2018 $431 ASAHI PTCA GUIDE WIRE ASAHI CORSAIRPRO MICROCATHETER ASAHI CARAVEL MICROCATHETER Travel and Lodging ASAHI INTECC USA, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $419 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 19, 2018 $404 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 15, 2018 $314 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CORINDUS INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $296 STINGRAY Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 27, 2018 $260 STINGRAY Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jun 6, 2018 $240 ASAHI PTCA GUIDE WIRE Travel and Lodging ASAHI INTECC USA, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $224 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 18, 2018 $224 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 27, 2018 $180 STINGRAY Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 15, 2018 $162 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CORINDUS INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $161 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES

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/164309

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.