Doctor used Medicare to pay off mortgage

A doctor who used Medicare to pay off the mortgage of his Sydney home has been found guilty of professional misconduct.

Dr Roger Leigh Flekser, who earns $272,000 a year, has admitted to committing fraud while working at St George Hospital in 2012 and 2013 as a surgical trainee in order to pay off his two-storey Maroubra home.

The Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Dr Flekser used Medicare to claim and receive fees from private health insurers despite not being qualified to practise privately, News Corp reports.

Fellow trainee surgeon Dr Sunder Narasimhan reported the fraud in January 2013 after discovering Dr Flekser had falsely billed for procedures.

Whilst investigating Dr Flekser’s financial records, the tribunal revealed he owed $200,000 on his $800,000 home loan in 2012. The home was fully paid for by the following year.

The matter will return to the tribunal for sentencing on February 2.

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