A Kansas medical doctor, Dr. Scott Taggart Roethle, has entered a guilty plea to charges of health care fraud in a St. Louis U.S. District Court. The 47-year-old admitted to accepting substantial kickbacks in exchange for ordering unnecessary health care services between 2017 and 2020.
Dr. Roethle worked with health care companies as a telemedicine provider, where he used electronic platforms to order durable medical equipment, pain creams, and genetic tests without evaluating patients' medical needs. He did not maintain any prior doctor-patient relationships or provide follow-up care consistent with the ordered services.
Acknowledging his role in the fraud, Dr. Roethle revealed that he received approximately $674,000 from five companies. Notably, Medicare disbursed a minimum of $1.5 million based on his fraudulent orders. Prosecutors intend to argue that the fraud's total financial impact ranges from $7 million to $9.5 million at his sentencing hearing.
Dr. Roethle, licensed in 22 states and primarily practicing as an anesthesiologist, faced an imminent trial which was scheduled for Monday. His sentencing is now set for July 17.
The case was a collaborative investigation involving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman and Justin Ladendorf are leading the prosecution.