Doctor Admits to DME Health Care Fraud

ST. LOUIS—A medical doctor from the Kansas City, Kansas area admitted to accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to order medically unnecessary health care for thousands of patients.

Dr. Scott Taggart Roethle, 47, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of health care fraud. He admitted that from 2017 until 2020, he conspired with health care companies and others to order medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, pain creams and genetic tests for thousands of patients in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks.

Roethle contracted with multiple health care companies as a telemedicine doctor. Using electronic portals to review patient information and documents, Roethle ordered health care services for patients without evaluating them or their actual medical needs. He did not have a prior doctor-patient relationship with the telemedicine patients and admitted to providing no follow-up care after ordering the health care services.

Roethle was typically paid about $30 for each of his fraudulent orders. He admitted receiving payments of $674,000 from five companies. He also admitted that Medicare paid out at least $1.5 million while relying on his fraudulent orders. At the time of Roethle’s sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will argue that the total loss due to the health care fraud is between $7 million and $9.5 million.

Roethle was licensed to practice in 22 states during the time of his crime and worked primarily as an anesthesiologist.

The trial of Roethle, of Leawood, was scheduled to begin in April. His sentencing is set for July 17.