The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that Rodney L. Yentzer has been sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment. Yentzer, aged 55, formerly from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and currently residing in Chuluota, Florida, was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and theft of public money. He is also required to pay $2,993,386.19 in restitution after making a previous payment of $900,000 toward a civil settlement with the United States in 2022.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus stated that Yentzer admitted to defrauding Medicare and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services between 2016 and 2020 and pleaded guilty to the offenses. Yentzer was involved in submitting unnecessary urine drug tests for chronic opioid patients at clinics he controlled, including Pain Medicine of York, also known as All Better Wellness.
“This defendant’s only interest was in his own wealth, and he exploited patients and defrauded a state healthcare system designed to promote wellness for vulnerable residents in order to line his pockets,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday commented. “I commend our federal partners for collaborating with our team on a comprehensive investigation that culminated in a significant prison sentence.”
Between 2014 and 2018, Yentzer acquired control of several medical practices, including the original Pain Medicine of York location. John H. Johnson, referred to as "Physician 1," ran some of these clinics. Johnson faced various charges and was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison in June 2017 for accepting kickbacks and failing to pay employment taxes, among other crimes. After Johnson's incarceration, control of his clinics transitioned to Yentzer.
In 2016, Johnson advised Yentzer to implement orders for multiple urine drug tests at each patient visit, a practice which Yentzer continued despite its lack of individualized care and the unlawful nature. Medicare paid more than $4 million for these tests from mid-2017 to the end of 2019.
The investigation revealed that the proceeds from the fraud scheme were used for personal luxury items and benefits for Yentzer, Johnson, and others involved. Yentzer made significant home upgrades and purchased luxury vehicles and jewelry using the scheme's proceeds.
Before Johnson entered federal custody, Yentzer placed Paula Z. Johnson, known as "Physician 2", on the payroll. She received payment despite not practicing medicine, allowing John H. Johnson to financially benefit without government restitution seizure.
Other financial activities included car purchases, legal bill payments, and contributions to college savings accounts for the Johnsons' children, all with Yentzer's involvement.
Pain Medicine of York shut down in November 2019 after executing search warrants amid the investigation.
In 2020, Yentzer received over $191,000 in COVID-19 relief intended for healthcare providers, which he allegedly used for personal expenses despite having resigned from Pain Medicine of York.
Florentina Mayko, former CEO of Pain Medicine of York, was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison in December 2023. John H. Johnson received a 97-month federal prison sentence in 2024, and Paula Z. Johnson received three years of probation and a monetary penalty.
The case was thoroughly investigated by several federal and state agencies, and the prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smultkis.