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/95462
  • 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/95462
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.

NIMA AMJADI

Listed Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
4316 JAMES CASEY ST, BLDG. A, AUSTIN, TX, 78745-1157

2018 Payments: At a Glance

186

payments

$4,900

payment total

22

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 184 $4,449
Travel and Lodging
 2 $451

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†
IMPELLA

device

 $1,435
WATCHMAN

device

 $612
EKOSONIC

device

 $551
LUTONIX

device

 $233
REPATHA

drug

 $220
XARELTO

drug

 $208
PRALUENT

drug

 $208
ULTRAVERSE

device

 $174
LIFESTENT

device

 $152
XIENCE SIERRA CORONARY STENT

device

 $145
SYNERGY

device

 $136
ENTRESTO

drug

 $128
LIFEVEST

device

 $119
GLIDEWIRE

device

 $115
BRILINTA

drug

 $105
CORLANOR

drug

 $103
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $98
GLIDESHEATH

device

 $77
ANGIOSEAL

device

 $75
ELIQUIS

drug

 $69
† 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/95462

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 14, 2018 $369 EKOSONIC Food and Beverage EKOS CORPORATION
Dec 3, 2018 $281 WATCHMAN Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Dec 4, 2018 $252 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 14, 2018 $170 EKOSONIC Travel and Lodging EKOS CORPORATION
Apr 19, 2018 $152 ULTRAVERSE LIFESTENT Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $151 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $143 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Sep 28, 2018 $123 XIENCE SIERRA CORONARY STENT Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 27, 2018 $119 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Jan 20, 2018 $84 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 29, 2018 $67 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Oct 22, 2018 $54 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Apr 13, 2018 $53 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Mar 28, 2018 $47 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Nov 18, 2018 $44 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $43 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 8, 2018 $42 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
May 25, 2018 $40 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Dec 3, 2018 $40 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Dec 3, 2018 $40 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION

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/95462

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.