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/229695
  • 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/229695
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.

MAHESH RAMCHANDANI

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
6560 FANNIN ST, STE 1836, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-2761

2018 Payments: At a Glance

58

payments

$45,776

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 15 $34,428
Education
 2 $5,600
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $3,600
Food and Beverage
 39 $2,148

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†
AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL

device

 $29,966
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $8,006
VASOVIEW

device

 $2,299
ARTIS Q.ZEN

device

 $2,000
RAM

device

 $1,026
PERCEVAL

device

 $693
PERCEVAL S

device

 $384
TRIFECTA GT TISSUE HEART VALVE

device

 $231
AORTIC AND MITRAL TISSUE STENTED VALVES

device

 $161
3F

device

 $150
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION

device

 $141
ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $141
IMPELLA

device

 $127
FLOSEAL

drug

 $123
EKOSONIC

device

 $88
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $84
EPIC STENTED TISSUE VALVE

device

 $83
OCTOPUS

device

 $40
ACROBAT

device

 $40
FLEXITOUCH

device

 $35
† 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/229695

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 5, 2018 $11,454 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $11,024 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $8,006 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Jul 2, 2018 $3,200 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Education LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Feb 16, 2018 $2,400 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Education LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $2,000 ARTIS Q.ZEN Promotional Speaking/Other SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $1,600 VASOVIEW Promotional Speaking/Other MAQUET CARDIOVASCULAR U.S. SALES, L.L.C.
Apr 11, 2018 $1,279 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
May 8, 2018 $874 RAM Travel and Lodging LSI SOLUTIONS INC AMEX
Dec 28, 2018 $663 PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $437 VASOVIEW Travel and Lodging MAQUET CARDIOVASCULAR U.S. SALES, L.L.C.
Apr 19, 2018 $348 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $272 PERCEVAL S Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $161 AORTIC AND MITRAL TISSUE STENTED VALVES Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 8, 2018 $152 RAM Food and Beverage LSI SOLUTIONS INC
Mar 24, 2018 $141 ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
May 7, 2018 $127 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Sep 13, 2018 $123 FLOSEAL Food and Beverage BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Apr 17, 2018 $112 PERCEVAL S Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Jul 31, 2018 $100 3F 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/229695

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.