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/349446
  • 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/349446
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.


EHRIN ARMSTRONG

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
4860 Y ST, SUITE 2820, SACRAMENTO, CA, 95817-2307

2018 Payments: At a Glance

128

payments

$122,926

payment total

17

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
12 $44,998
Consulting
19 $43,284
Honoraria
5 $20,600
Travel and Lodging
16 $5,655
Nonaccredited Training
2 $4,800
Food and Beverage
74 $3,588

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

$25,443
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

$19,659
CVX-300

device

$12,305
TACK ENDOVASCULAR SYSTEM

device

$10,542
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

$9,240
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

$8,421
ZONTIVITY

drug

$7,183
FOX SV PTA CATHETER AND ARMADA 14 PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER AND VIATRAC 14 PLUS PERIPHERAL CATHETER

device

$5,919
HERCULINK ELITE RENAL AND BILIARY STENT SYSTEM

device

$5,919
HI-TORQUE SPARTACORE GUIDE WIRES

device

$5,919
OMNILINK ELITE VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM

device

$5,919
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

$5,044
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$5,000
PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT

device

$4,900
QT VASCULAR CHOCOLATE PTA BALLOON

device

$3,719
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$2,100
IVUS SYSTEMS

device

$2,000
TURBO-POWER

device

$2,000
ELCA

device

$954
CAROTID STENT

device

$800
† 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/349446

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 2, 2018 $8,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Apr 2, 2018 $6,000 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 25, 2018 $5,750 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. HEALTHY HEART CONSULTING LLC
Jan 17, 2018 $5,600 CVX-300 Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION CARDIOVASCULAR INNOVATIONS CONSULTING
Apr 19, 2018 $5,600 CVX-300 Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION CARDIOVASCULAR INNOVATIONS CONSULTING
Jan 8, 2018 $5,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Aug 24, 2018 $5,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Oct 26, 2018 $4,950 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. HEALTHY HEART CONSULTING LLC
Nov 15, 2018 $4,000 TACK ENDOVASCULAR SYSTEM Consulting INTACT VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $4,000 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. HEALTHY HEART CONSULTING LLC
Jul 5, 2018 $3,600 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $3,500 ZONTIVITY Consulting ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS US INC. Cardiovascular Innovations Consulting
Jan 3, 2018 $3,500 ZONTIVITY Consulting ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS US INC. Cardiovascular Innovations Consulting
Jun 15, 2018 $3,300 PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. HEALTHY HEART CONSULTING LLC
Aug 9, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Nov 13, 2018 $3,298 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Nov 12, 2018 $3,000 QT VASCULAR CHOCOLATE PTA BALLOON Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $2,600 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. HEALTHY HEART CONSULTING LLC
Aug 8, 2018 $2,500 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIOVASCULAR INNOVATIONS CONSULTING LLC
Dec 12, 2018 $2,500 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIOVASCULAR INNOVATIONS CONSULTING LLC

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/349446

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.