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/82507
  • 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/82507
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.

RAMIN PAKBAZ

Listed Specialty: Neuroradiology
13265 NORCROFT RD, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92130-1286

2018 Payments: At a Glance

78

payments

$23,201

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 2 $9,400
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $7,461
Travel and Lodging
 8 $3,860
Food and Beverage
 65 $2,480

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

 $14,673
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

 $5,959
PENUMBRA SMART COIL

device

 $516
PIPELINE

device

 $470
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

 $434
SOFIA

device

 $320
LVIS

device

 $311
HYDROSOFT 3D COIL

device

 $266
HYDROFRAME COIL

device

 $255
HEADLINER GUIDEWIRE

device

 $249
APOLLO

device

 $158
SOLITAIRE

device

 $112
EMBOTRAP II REVASCULARIZATION DEVICE

device

 $104
LVIS JR.

device

 $97
ENTERPRISE

device

 $65
NAVIEN

device

 $49
CASHMERE

device

 $43
HEADWAY DUO MICROCATHETER

device

 $38
HYPERSOFT 3D COIL

device

 $36
INFINITY

device

 $33
† 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/82507

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 19, 2018 $4,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $4,700 No Listed Product Consulting MICROVENTION, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $4,700 No Listed Product Consulting MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $2,400 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other PENUMBRA, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $1,012 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Oct 16, 2018 $815 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $676 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $360 PENUMBRA SMART COIL Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Jan 11, 2018 $325 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $323 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $261 KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Interventional Neuroradiology
Jul 25, 2018 $249 LVIS SOFIA HEADLINER GUIDEWIRE Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $248 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $180 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $151 PIPELINE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $136 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $122 No Listed Product Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $101 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $86 KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $78 APOLLO Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, 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/82507

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.