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/196016
  • 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/196016
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 GRANDHI

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
7940 FLOYD CURL DR, TOWER II, STE 300, SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78229-3905

2018 Payments: At a Glance

69

payments

$20,753

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 18 $10,340
Consulting
 4 $7,250
Food and Beverage
 46 $2,913
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $250

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†
BIOGRAPH MMR

device

 $7,977
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $7,250
PIPELINE

device

 $1,122
TREVO

device

 $823
PULSERIDER

device

 $723
TRUFILL

device

 $723
SOLITAIRE

device

 $523
TRAUMAONE

device

 $479
ARTIS Q

device

 $426
MAGNETOM SOLA

device

 $208
GALAXY

device

 $178
AXIUM

device

 $154
TARGET

device

 $139
EMBOTRAP II REVASCULARIZATION DEVICE

device

 $131
WALTER

device

 $125
CODMAN CERTAS

device

 $122
CODMAN HAKIM PRECISION VALVE

device

 $122
CUSA CLARITY

device

 $122
DURAGEN

device

 $122
DURASEAL EXACT

device

 $122
† 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/196016

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 24, 2018 $7,910 BIOGRAPH MMR Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $3,000 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $1,750 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $1,250 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $1,250 No Listed Product Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $617 PULSERIDER TRUFILL Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $415 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $296 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 31, 2018 $250 TREVO Promotional Speaking/Other STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 9, 2018 $194 PIPELINE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $184 ARTIS Q Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $184 ARTIS Q Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Jun 26, 2018 $154 AXIUM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $125 SOLITAIRE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 20, 2018 $125 WALTER Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jan 28, 2018 $122 CODMAN CERTAS CUSA CLARITY DURAGEN DURASEAL EXACT CODMAN HAKIM PRECISION VALVE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Aug 6, 2018 $121 TREVO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 26, 2018 $120 SOLITAIRE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $120 TREVO SYNCHRO INFINITY Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 31, 2018 $119 QUARTEX Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, 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/196016

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.