TARZANA : 2 Charged in Patient Referral Scheme
A Woodland Hills woman and a Tarzana doctor have been charged with participating in an illegal medical referral scheme using personal injury and workers’ compensation claims, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Monday.
Debra Mattes and Dr. Karl Epstein are scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 26, Deputy Dist. Atty. Stephen Mazur said.
Mattes faces charges under the state Business and Professions Code of receiving payment for patient referrals, conspiracy to receive payment for patient referrals and referral of fraudulent claims, Mazur said. Epstein faces charges of paying a referral fee for patients, conspiracy to receive payment for patient referrals and insurance fraud, he said.
Records from Mattes’ business show that she received more than $1.3 million from doctors and medical clinics for alleged unlawful referrals, Mazur said.
Mattes allegedly published a directory of doctors who agreed to pay her for referring patients. She distributed the directories to attorneys who were handling personal injury and workers’ compensation clients.
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