Dr. Howard Epstein, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Epstein
Dr. Howard Epstein is a pathology - anatomic specialist in Newport Beach, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Epstein performed 2,361 Medicare services across 962 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Epstein received a total of $107 from 1 pharmaceutical and/or device company across 1 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pathology - anatomic. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Epstein is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
1,248 | $36 | $184 |
| Moderately high complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This specific level of complexity involves a moderate to high degree of technical skill and interpretation. |
252 | $69 | $363 |
| Manual microscopic genetic analysis of tumor A laboratory test that uses a microscope to manually examine tumor tissue for genetic changes. |
183 | $34 | $235 |
| Intraoperative pathology examination, first tissue block A pathologist examines a tissue sample removed during surgery to provide a preliminary diagnosis. This test is performed on the first tissue block obtained from the procedure. |
116 | $52 | $272 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation and report A pathologist examines cells collected via a fine needle aspiration and provides a written interpretation and report of the findings. |
76 | $59 | $300 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination. |
51 | $24 | $100 |
| Special tissue stain, multiplex A laboratory procedure using special stains to examine tissue samples. This multiplex technique allows for the analysis of multiple markers on a single slide. |
49 | $32 | $169 |
| Genetic analysis of archival tissue Testing stored tissue samples to identify genetic information. This procedure analyzes existing tissue specimens for genetic markers. |
47 | $16 | $83 |
| Special stain test for organisms A laboratory test using special stains on tissue slides to identify microorganisms. The process includes the technical preparation of the slides and a professional interpretation of the results. |
46 | $52 | $213 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation A laboratory examination of cells collected via fine needle aspiration to assess for abnormalities. |
41 | $30 | $158 |
| High complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope using advanced techniques to analyze cellular details. |
36 | $121 | $643 |
| Limited pathology tissue examination A microscopic examination of tissue samples to identify abnormalities. This limited exam focuses on specific aspects of the tissue rather than a comprehensive analysis. |
35 | $4 | $19 |
| Cell examination with selective cellular enhancement A laboratory test that examines cells from a specimen using a technique to selectively enhance specific cellular features for detailed analysis. |
26 | $22 | $121 |
| Tissue preparation to remove calcium A laboratory procedure that removes calcium from a tissue sample to prepare it for microscopic examination. |
23 | $10 | $55 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics. |
23 | $32 | $138 |
| Cell examination of specimen, concentration technique A laboratory test that uses a concentration technique to examine cells from a specimen. |
22 | $19 | $98 |
| Special tissue stain and interpretation A laboratory test using special stains to examine tissue samples, including the pathologist's review and written report of the findings. |
21 | $30 | $165 |
| Additional surgical pathology tissue block This code covers the pathology examination of each additional tissue block processed during surgery. It is billed for each extra specimen block analyzed beyond the initial one. |
20 | $26 | $134 |
| Pathology tissue examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to identify abnormalities. This specific level indicates a moderate degree of complexity in the analysis. |
18 | $24 | $97 |
| Bacterial culture, aerobic A laboratory test that grows and identifies bacteria capable of surviving in oxygen. The results help determine the presence of specific aerobic microorganisms. |
16 | $8 | $174 |
| Prostate needle biopsy pathology exam Laboratory examination of prostate tissue samples obtained via needle biopsy. The pathologist inspects the tissue both visually and under a microscope to identify any abnormalities. |
12 | $148 | $2,434 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2019 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2019)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | Monthly updates |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2019 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Epstein is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 22% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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