Dr. Scott Taggart Roethle, a Kansas-based anesthesiologist, has admitted to accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for medically unnecessary orders that defrauded Medicare of at least $1.5 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced on April 4.
Roethle, 47, of Leawood, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Court records revealed that between 2017 and 2020, Roethle conspired with telemedicine companies and other individuals to order durable medical equipment, genetic testing, and pain creams for patients who did not require them.
As part of the scheme, Roethle, contracted as a telemedicine doctor, used online portals to submit thousands of fraudulent orders. Notably, he never evaluated the patients in person, had no prior doctor-patient relationship with them, and provided no follow-up care.
Roethle was paid approximately $30 per order and received a total of $674,000 in kickbacks from five companies involved in the fraudulent activities. As a result of his actions, Medicare paid out at least $1.5 million for the unnecessary services.
At sentencing, prosecutors plan to argue that the total fraud loss ranges between $7 million and $9.5 million. Roethle, who was licensed to practice in 22 states at the time, was primarily working as an anesthesiologist.
Roethle’s sentencing is set for July 17, where he will face consequences for his role in the extensive fraud scheme.
