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/245978
  • 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/245978
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.

VENKAT TUMMALA

Listed Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology
2125 CRYSTAL GROVE DR, LAKELAND, FL, 33801-6875

2018 Payments: At a Glance

143

payments

$20,368

payment total

17

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 5 $11,820
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $4,800
Food and Beverage
 133 $3,054
Travel and Lodging
 2 $690
Entertainment
 1 $3

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†
PENUMBRA RUBY COIL

device

 $3,957
CLEARVUE

device

 $3,600
DORADO

device

 $3,200
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

 $2,457
DENALI

device

 $2,400
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $1,120
CLOTTRIEVER

device

 $986
FLOWTRIEVER

device

 $986
IGT_D PERIPHERAL

device

 $350
IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ PERIPHERAL

device

 $235
LUTONIX

device

 $209
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $201
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $198
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $181
OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION

device

 $173
ENDURANT

device

 $157
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $140
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

 $122
EMBOZENE

device

 $113
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $105
† 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/245978

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 29, 2018 $3,600 CLEARVUE Consulting BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $3,200 DORADO Consulting BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $2,400 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Promotional Speaking/Other PENUMBRA, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $2,400 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other PENUMBRA, INC.
Jun 8, 2018 $2,400 DENALI Consulting BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $1,500 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Consulting PENUMBRA, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $1,120 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 12, 2018 $634 FLOWTRIEVER CLOTTRIEVER Travel and Lodging INARI MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 12, 2018 $328 FLOWTRIEVER CLOTTRIEVER Food and Beverage INARI MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 24, 2018 $140 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 15, 2018 $120 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $119 IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ PERIPHERAL Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Apr 9, 2018 $110 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $97 No Listed Product Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
May 19, 2018 $72 OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $69 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $61 IGT_D PERIPHERAL Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Jul 26, 2018 $57 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $57 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
May 19, 2018 $55 OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, 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/245978

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.