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/317653
  • 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/317653
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.

VIJAY RAMANATH

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
6124 W PARKER RD, SUITE 536, PLANO, TX, 75093-8122

2018 Payments: At a Glance

177

payments

$17,467

payment total

33

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 156 $4,820
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $3,750
Travel and Lodging
 14 $3,263
Consulting
 1 $3,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $2,625
Education
 2 $9

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†
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $4,807
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $3,870
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

 $3,333
PENUMBRA RUBY COIL

device

 $1,769
INDIGO

device

 $481
XARELTO

drug

 $298
ENTRESTO

drug

 $258
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $222
ELIQUIS

drug

 $216
KENGREAL

drug

 $191
CONFIRM RX

device

 $180
NORTHERA

drug

 $158
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $157
REPATHA

drug

 $152
JARDIANCE

drug

 $149
GENERAL METALLIC STENTS

device

 $146
BRILINTA

drug

 $140
PRALUENT

drug

 $135
PRADAXA

drug

 $108
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

 $87
† 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/317653

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 7, 2018 $3,000 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 20, 2018 $2,250 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 1, 2018 $2,000 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $1,750 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $540 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Feb 25, 2018 $540 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 22, 2018 $538 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Feb 25, 2018 $493 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 11, 2018 $442 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 19, 2018 $375 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 24, 2018 $335 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 22, 2018 $271 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $180 CONFIRM RX Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 15, 2018 $173 INDIGO Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $162 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $157 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $157 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 16, 2018 $127 KENGREAL Food and Beverage CHIESI USA, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $122 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jan 29, 2018 $118 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, 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/317653

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.