An Ohio physician pleaded guilty to his role in a $14.5 million Medicare fraud scheme that prescribed medical equipment and lab tests for patients who did not need them.
Three things to know:
1. Timothy Sutton, MD, 43, of North Ridgeville, was employed by two telemedicine companies, Real Time Physicians and 24 Hour Virtual MD, according to an April 11 Justice Department news release. The companies provided him with pre-completed orders for durable medical equipment or cancer genetic testing for him to approve and sign digitally. He never examined the patients.
2. Once Dr. Sutton prescribed the equipment, the telemedicine companies allegedly forwarded the orders to companies they controlled, or sold them to other medical entities to provide durable medical equipment or conduct lab testing.
3. He pleaded guilty to attempting and conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, false statements related to health care matters, and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum of 27 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced July 26.
