A Slidell, La., physician has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in a scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary tests, the Justice Department said in a May 27 news release.
What happened?
- From approximately February through September 2019, Robert Tassin, MD, worked for several purported telemedicine companies and signed physician orders for cancer genetic tests for Medicare beneficiaries he had never seen, spoken to or otherwise treated. In exchange, he received a set fee for each order.
- Additionally, Dr. Tassin submitted several false statements to support the orders, including fraudulent certifications in medical records stating that the tests were medically necessary.
- Dr. Tassin’s orders led to more than $6.6 million in fraudulent claims, of which Medicare reimbursed $2 million.
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