Bad medicine: Washington state doc faces 26-count indictment
What began as a COVID-19 exemption hustle is now the least of Dr. Anna Elperin’s worries. A federal grand jury says the Washington state physician spent years churning out falsified CDL medical exams, handing out medical cards to drivers who never should’ve passed.
In 2021, KREM 2 conducted an undercover investigation into Dr. Anna Elperin, an osteopathic physician, who owned and operated Awake Health, PLLC, in Ellensburg, Wash.
The investigation caught Elperin on camera allegedly giving out COVID-19 vaccination exemptions for a $150 to $200 fee to individuals who did not qualify.
After the investigation aired, Elperin’s medical license was restricted in December 2021 and finally suspended in September 2022. Once reinstated in July 2023, she could no longer grant COVID-19 vaccination and mask and exemptions.
Even though Elperin’s medical license expired in April 2024, that didn’t stop a separate investigation into suspicious CDL medical exams.
Just the tip of the iceberg
On Friday, Nov. 14, a Washington state grand jury handed down a 26-count indictment detailing alleged schemes to falsify CDL medical tests and other medical conditions for applicants who had disqualifying medical conditions.
Pre-dating the alleged COVID-19 vaccination and mask exemption scheme, Elperin was already in the CDL medical testing game.
From September 2018 until September 2022, the indictment states that Elperin devised and participated in a scheme to falsify CDL tests. The co-conspirators included office staff with no medical training or licenses to perform exams, if any were conducted at all.
The grand jury indictment cites testimony from six individuals who received medical cards from Elperin or her office without the proper exam, or, in some cases, helped the individuals skirt federal medical regulations.
One example in the indictment was a patient who came in to get a CDL medical card. The individual’s blood pressure was high, and they were sent to lie down in a dark examination room with the “goal of decreasing the individual’s blood pressure” to a level where they could pass the exam.
A second, far more serious, allegation centers on Elperin failing to conduct a proper exam, test for, and apply the hypertension, vision, and hearing standards.
That was not an uncommon allegation, but in this instance, the individual had a number of health issues.
On June 11, 2021, a patient was hospitalized after suffering a possible stroke or seizure. Nine days later, the same person reported to Elperin’s office for a CDL physical.
At that first appointment to get a medical card, according to a charging document in Elperin’s COVID-19 disciplinary action, Elperin’s note stated:
“Patient presents for DOT physical, no concerns, doing well; Type 1 diabetes, atherosclerotic, heart disease, hypertension; patient has not been seen since October 2019, will request hospital records.”
Not even a month later, on Aug. 23, 2021, the patient returned to get their CDL certification. Elperin signed off on the medical certification without following through on the DOT diabetes waiver requirements. The only note, according to court documents, was to continue diabetes medication.
Less than another month later, the truck driver wound up back in the hospital on Sept. 21, 2021, for possible stroke or seizure. During that visit it was revealed Elperin ordered the patient to discontinue two medications prescribed during his June 11 hospitalization.
The medical board inquiry and agreed order noted that there is no evidence that Elperin reviewed hospital records and/or consulted with the patient’s doctor before recommending discontinuation of medications.
The remainder of the indictments regarding medical certification center on Elperin and her staff failing to conduct the requisite medical exams.
But wait, there’s more
Allegations don’t stop at potentially bogus CDL physicals. The grand jury indictment also notes that Elperin would leave signed prescription pads at the front desk for office staff to write their own personal prescriptions.
Additionally, Elperin is accused of writing prescriptions they did not need to other patients, and in turn, the patients would return some of the medication to Elperin for her personal use. The prescriptions include lorazepam, hydrocodone, methylphenidate HCL and Adderall.
Elperin was arrested Nov. 21 and made her initial court appearance Nov. 24 where she was appointed a federal defender. The court has not scheduled any response dates or hearing as of press time. LL