Robert Tassin, M.D., a 64-year-old physician from Slidell, Louisiana, has been charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud after allegedly submitting fraudulent Medicare claims for unnecessary cancer genetic tests. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced the charges on Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tassin, who worked as an independent contractor for several telemedicine companies, used his medical credentials to authorize orders for genetic tests without conducting proper patient evaluations. From February to September 2019, Tassin allegedly signed orders for cancer genetic tests (CGx) for Medicare beneficiaries he had never examined, spoken to, or treated.
These fraudulent orders led to more than $6.6 million in Medicare claims, with the program reimbursing over $2 million for tests that were neither medically necessary nor legitimately prescribed. In addition, Tassin reportedly made false statements in medical records, certifying the tests as medically necessary to justify the claims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office further revealed that Tassin was paid a fee of $30 per order, which added up to $106,757 for the doctor. The fraudulent activity allowed telemedicine companies to profit from Medicare reimbursements without performing the standard medical evaluations required.
If convicted, Tassin faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The office also emphasized that a bill of information is merely a charge, and guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case underscores the importance of safeguarding healthcare programs from fraudulent activity, particularly as telemedicine continues to grow.
