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/358914
  • 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/358914
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.

RAYMOND SCHAERF

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
2601 W ALAMEDA AVE, STE 404, BURBANK, CA, 91505-4813

2018 Payments: At a Glance

56

payments

$66,625

payment total

7

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 13 $41,832
Nonaccredited Training
 3 $16,400
Travel and Lodging
 17 $6,175
Food and Beverage
 23 $2,218

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

 $38,432
COOK MEDICAL LEAD EXTRACTION

device

 $13,636
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $5,280
COOK MEDICAL IAA

device

 $3,000
MICRA

device

 $1,493
NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT

device

 $1,218
PACEMAKERS

device

 $1,144
COOK MEDICAL LEAD MANAGEMENT - LEAD EXTRACTION

device

 $504
CRM-RESEARCH ONLY

device

 $406
NANOSTIM LEADLEAS PACEMAKER

device

 $406
ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $406
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $267
BRK EP TRANSSEPTAL ACCESS

device

 $153
COOK MEDICAL INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

device

 $108
FLEXABILITY ABLATION CATHETER

device

 $74
TENDRIL PACING LEAD

device

 $57
COOK MEDICAL THORACIC

device

 $28
UNIFY ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $12
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 3, 2018 $28,230 No Listed Product Consulting ANGIODYNAMICS, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $9,900 COOK MEDICAL LEAD EXTRACTION Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED RAYMOND SCHAERF MD INC
Nov 8, 2018 $5,150 No Listed Product Consulting ETHICON INC. RAYMOND HM SCHAERF MD INC
Aug 20, 2018 $3,500 COOK MEDICAL LEAD EXTRACTION Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED RAYMOND SCHAERF MD INC
Nov 17, 2018 $3,130 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ANGIODYNAMICS, INC.
Jan 3, 2018 $3,000 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED RAYMOND SCHAERF MD INC
May 24, 2018 $2,030 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 24, 2018 $1,624 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 13, 2018 $1,072 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ANGIODYNAMICS, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $812 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 24, 2018 $812 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 15, 2018 $812 NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 3, 2018 $598 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ANGIODYNAMICS, INC.
Jan 7, 2018 $590 MICRA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 24, 2018 $406 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 17, 2018 $406 ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 8, 2018 $406 CRM-RESEARCH ONLY Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 15, 2018 $406 NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 20, 2018 $406 NANOSTIM LEADLEAS PACEMAKER Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 22, 2018 $332 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES

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/358914

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.