State College psychologist pleads guilty to fraud, surrenders license

Sara Ganim

WILLIAMSPORT — State College psychologist Julian Metter admitted in federal court Thursday to fraudulently billing Medicare, and said he has voluntarily surrendered his license to practice.

Metter, who still faces an unresolved civil suit alleging improper treatment, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. Middle District Court to a single charge of making false statements after police alleged he submitted about 200 false claims for heath care services between October 2002 and October 2005.

Metter, who had been in practice for 20 years, offering psychotherapy and cognitive skill development services, told the judge he has closed his office and surrendered his license. He is free pending sentencing.

The maximum sentence he faces this fall is five years and a $250,000 fine but guidelines indicate a 12- to 18-month jail term is likely. Metter also will be required to make restitution, which he acknowledged will be between $30,000 and $70,000.

Retired Bloomsburg professor Charles G. Jackson said Metter was a caring, considerate and compassionate doctor who helped his wife with a traumatic brain injury.

“He goes out of his way to help patients in any way he can,” Jackson said. That Metter may lose his license to practice, “I think it’s tragic not only to Dr. Metter, but to the community,” Jackson said.

Metter, 57, was sued last fall in Centre County Court by a patient who says he emotionally and physically traumatized her when he drugged her with carbon dioxide — holding her down when she struggled — and questioned her while she was unconscious.

That patient told the Centre Daily Times she had been helping Metter in his office by doing some of his billing, but quickly realized he was billing Medicare for visits that never happened.

“I’m the one that turned him in,” she said. “He kept saying, ‘Oh, don’t worry.’ ”

The woman went to State College police, who eventually turned the matter over to the FBI.

“What got him in trouble is that he billed when he was out of the country,” said the woman’s attorney, Bernard Cantorna. “It was indisputable.”

For a complete story, check tomorrow's Centre Daily Times, and centredaily.com