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/91542
  • 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/91542
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.

SAULIUS KALVAITIS

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
11155 DUNN RD STE 304E, SAINT LOUIS, MO, 63136-6111

2018 Payments: At a Glance

105

payments

$29,535

payment total

20

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 1 $17,600
Travel and Lodging
 8 $6,997
Food and Beverage
 95 $2,938
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $2,000

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

 $23,840
PRO-KINETIC ENERGY

device

 $2,550
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $1,538
ELIQUIS

drug

 $299
BAROSTIM NEO SYSTEM

device

 $247
XARELTO

drug

 $197
REPATHA

drug

 $162
JARDIANCE

drug

 $123
VASCEPA

drug

 $113
VISIA AF

device

 $104
CHANTIX

drug

 $89
CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $87
UPTRAVI

drug

 $52
PRADAXA

drug

 $49
CORLANOR

drug

 $40
LIFEVEST

device

 $32
VELTASSA

drug

 $30
ENTRESTO

drug

 $26
NORTHERA

drug

 $24
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $19
† 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/91542

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 30, 2018 $17,600 No Listed Product Consulting BIOTRONIK INC. St louis heart & vascular pc
Jul 1, 2018 $2,550 PRO-KINETIC ENERGY Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $1,173 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Mar 25, 2018 $1,094 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 22, 2018 $710 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $624 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $449 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Nov 19, 2018 $276 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Oct 31, 2018 $137 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
May 24, 2018 $125 ELIQUIS Food and Beverage E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Mar 1, 2018 $124 BAROSTIM NEO SYSTEM Food and Beverage CVRX, INC.
May 15, 2018 $124 BAROSTIM NEO SYSTEM Food and Beverage CVRX, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $123 JARDIANCE Food and Beverage BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $122 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $121 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $121 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $113 VASCEPA Food and Beverage AMARIN PHARMA INC.
Mar 24, 2018 $108 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 22, 2018 $104 VISIA AF Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/91542

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.