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/175664
  • 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/175664
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.

WALT MARQUARDT

Listed Specialty: Nuclear Cardiology
3941 J STREET, SUITE 260, SACRAMENTO, CA, 95819-3633

2018 Payments: At a Glance

58

payments

$2,724

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 58 $2,724

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†
IMPELLA

device

 $749
BRILINTA

drug

 $279
RESOLUTE

device

 $194
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $157
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $157
SYNERGY

device

 $156
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $148
CIRCULATORY SUPPORT

device

 $145
HAWKONE

device

 $126
LIFEVEST

device

 $124
GENERAL TACHY

device

 $117
ELIQUIS

drug

 $117
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $102
WOLVERINE

device

 $72
MYNXGRIP VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

 $42
EVERFLEX

device

 $41
AMPLATZER OCCLUDERS

device

 $41
FFR LINK

device

 $27
IGT_D CORONARY

device

 $25
ABSOLUTE PRO VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM

device

 $22
† 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/175664

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 16, 2018 $145 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Feb 20, 2018 $145 CIRCULATORY SUPPORT Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 22, 2018 $131 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Oct 3, 2018 $130 BRILINTA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Jun 6, 2018 $129 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Mar 13, 2018 $117 GENERAL TACHY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 29, 2018 $117 ELIQUIS Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $116 BRILINTA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Dec 28, 2018 $112 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Apr 4, 2018 $106 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 22, 2018 $102 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $100 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Mar 30, 2018 $82 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $77 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 31, 2018 $76 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 28, 2018 $61 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Feb 2, 2018 $60 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Nov 15, 2018 $50 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $47 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Apr 27, 2018 $42 MYNXGRIP VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE Food and Beverage CARDINAL HEALTH 200, LLC

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/175664

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.