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/351529
  • 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/351529
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.

ILYAS COLOMBOWALA

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
350 HERITAGE WAY, SUITE 2100, KALISPELL, MT, 59901-3158

2018 Payments: At a Glance

146

payments

$40,152

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 12 $27,650
Travel and Lodging
 12 $5,408
Food and Beverage
 118 $3,843
Consulting
 4 $3,250

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $13,522
LIFEVEST

device

 $10,033
ELIQUIS

drug

 $9,751
REVEAL LINQ

device

 $5,332
ADVISA

device

 $738
BAROSTIM NEO SYSTEM

device

 $122
PACEMAKERS

device

 $85
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $73
AMPLIA MRI

device

 $57
CRT-DS

device

 $48
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $33
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $33
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $32
THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH

device

 $32
ENTRESTO

drug

 $30
CONFIDENSE

device

 $28
ACUNAV

device

 $26
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $23
VALIANT CAPTIVIA

device

 $23
ALLURE CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $22
† 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/351529

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 3, 2018 $4,100 REVEAL LINQ Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Glacier Electrophysiology Llc
Oct 29, 2018 $3,000 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $2,900 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Glacier Electrophysiology Llc
Sep 18, 2018 $2,775 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Oct 3, 2018 $2,775 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Oct 18, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Glacier Electrophysiology Llc
Mar 8, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Glacier Electrophysiology Llc
May 3, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Glacier Electrophysiology Llc
Mar 29, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Jul 3, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Aug 29, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Mar 22, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Nov 14, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Nov 14, 2018 $1,000 LIFEVEST Travel and Lodging ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Sep 30, 2018 $793 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 16, 2018 $635 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $566 LIFEVEST Travel and Lodging ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Feb 28, 2018 $532 REVEAL LINQ Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $470 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $325 LIFEVEST Travel and Lodging ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)

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/351529

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.