An Alabama physician has pleaded guilty to his role in a $6 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment and genetic testing, the Justice Department announced Aug. 18.
What happened?
- Between December 2018 and March 2021, Tommie Robinson, MD, worked with telemedicine companies to sign medical documentation, including physicians’ orders, for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and genetic testing.
- According to the Justice Department, the orders Dr. Robinson signed were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls made to Medicare beneficiaries. He had no contact with the patients and no established medical relationship with them.
- As a result of his participation, more than $6 million in claims were submitted to Medicare for equipment and testing that were medically unnecessary.
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