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/346163
  • 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/346163
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.

ERNESTO RIVERA

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
1901 PORT LN, AMARILLO, TX, 79106-2430

2018 Payments: At a Glance

331

payments

$54,920

payment total

32

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 12 $22,380
Travel and Lodging
 48 $17,290
Food and Beverage
 265 $10,560
Consulting
 2 $4,400
Education
 4 $289

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†
XARELTO

drug

 $10,190
ENTRESTO

drug

 $8,557
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $6,293
ZONTIVITY

drug

 $4,855
LIVALO

drug

 $3,421
RANEXA

drug

 $2,101
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,919
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,882
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $1,882
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $1,882
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,882
IVUS SYSTEMS

device

 $1,835
IMPELLA

device

 $1,488
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $1,385
GLIDESHEATH

device

 $1,353
PRELUDE IDEAL HYDROPHILIC SHEATH INTRODUCER

device

 $1,232
PRELUDE SYNC RADIAL COMPRESSION

device

 $1,232
PERFORMA CATHETERS

device

 $1,232
GLIDEWIRE

device

 $1,099
NAVICROSS

device

 $1,099
† 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/346163

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 2, 2018 $5,138 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $4,000 ZONTIVITY Consulting ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS US INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Amarillo Heart Group
Jul 18, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Amarillo Heart Group
Mar 27, 2018 $3,250 LIVALO Promotional Speaking/Other KOWA PHARMACEUTICALS AMERICA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $2,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Apr 27, 2018 $1,980 RANEXA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Aug 2, 2018 $1,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION AMARILLO HEART GROUP
Aug 22, 2018 $1,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION AMARILLO HEART GROUP
Sep 18, 2018 $1,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION AMARILLO HEART GROUP
Nov 1, 2018 $1,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION AMARILLO HEART GROUP
Nov 30, 2018 $1,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION AMARILLO HEART GROUP
Sep 28, 2018 $1,356 IVUS SYSTEMS Travel and Lodging PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Jan 23, 2018 $727 ZONTIVITY Travel and Lodging ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS US INC.
Dec 15, 2018 $673 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 14, 2018 $663 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jun 29, 2018 $546 IMPELLA Travel and Lodging ABIOMED
Oct 18, 2018 $538 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 30, 2018 $503 PRELUDE IDEAL HYDROPHILIC SHEATH INTRODUCER PRELUDE SYNC RADIAL COMPRESSION PERFORMA CATHETERS Travel and Lodging MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
May 11, 2018 $503 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS 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/346163

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.