Dr. Gerald Knouf, a family medicine doctor formerly of Pocatello, Idaho, agreed to pay $96,000 to resolve allegations that he wrote unlawful prescriptions, prescribed dangerous combinations of drugs, and billed Medicare and Medicaid for services that were not performed. The settlement also restricts Dr. Knouf’s DEA registration for five years. According to the settlement agreement, the government alleged that Dr. Knouf wrote prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose and/or were issued outside the usual course of professional practice between 2018 and 2023. That included prescriptions for dangerous combinations of drugs, including overlapping prescriptions for opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxers. The government alleged the Dr. Knouf’s actions violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the False Claims Act (FCA).
