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/192121
  • 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/192121
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.

MICHAEL CHANG

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

2018 Payments: At a Glance

107

payments

$33,516

payment total

19

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 5 $22,200
Travel and Lodging
 18 $6,239
Food and Beverage
 82 $4,003
Honoraria
 1 $1,000
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $74

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†
COREVALVE EVOLUT

device

 $26,924
RESOLUTE

device

 $3,409
IMPELLA

device

 $1,200
3F

device

 $570
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $197
HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV

device

 $130
WATCHMAN

device

 $125
ANDEXXA

drug

 $125
ENTRESTO

drug

 $119
NORTHERA

drug

 $110
XARELTO

drug

 $100
DEFINITY

drug

 $96
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

 $75
LUTONIX

device

 $72
IGT_D CORONARY

device

 $57
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

 $47
PORTICO TRANSCATHETER AORTIC HV

device

 $39
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $33
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $33
LIFEVEST

device

 $30
† 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/192121

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 21, 2018 $5,400 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 15, 2018 $4,800 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 23, 2018 $4,800 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $4,200 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $3,000 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 21, 2018 $1,113 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $1,014 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $1,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Feb 7, 2018 $991 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 15, 2018 $787 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 16, 2018 $403 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $402 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 16, 2018 $362 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $273 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $231 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $206 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $175 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $151 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $141 COREVALVE EVOLUT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $132 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/192121

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.