A Kansas anesthesiologist was formally charged with participating in a kickback scheme that spanned 22 states, the U.S. Justice Department said Aug. 19.
Scott Taggart Roethle, MD, is facing 25 counts related to the alleged healthcare fraud.
According to the indictment, several telemedicine and marketing companies paid Dr. Roethle illegal kickbacks to sign prescriptions and orders for orthotics, genetic tests and topical creams from 2017 to 2020. Dr. Roethle allegedly was paid $30 for each order or prescription he signed and received $674,026 in illegal kickbacks.
Prosecutors said Dr. Roethle obtained medical licenses in 22 states and signed orders for thousands of patients residing in them. Prosecutors also claim Dr. Roethle had no contact with patients before signing the orders or prescriptions and didn't determine whether they were medically necessary.
As a result of the alleged scheme, prosecutors say Medicare lost $26 million.