A Tennessee physician has surrendered his medical license after state officials discovered he signed COVID-19 vaccine exemptions for patients he'd never examined—including at least one animal.
Robert Coble, 76, from Goodspring, agreed to surrender his license in May. State health officials announced the disciplinary settlement on June 15.
How It Worked
During the pandemic's second year, demand for vaccine exemptions remained high as some employers, universities, and events required proof of vaccination. MedChoice positioned itself as a workaround. The company sold vaccine exemptions online for $139, promising documentation reviewed and signed by a licensed physician. Customers could select from pre-set exemption reasons, including claims of autoimmune disease or general vaccine hesitancy.
Coble's Role
According to Tennessee Department of Health documents, Robert Coble signed these waivers during August and September 2021 while working with MedChoice. The exemptions reached people in Tennessee, Maine, and Washington.
State investigators found he maintained "no patient/physician relationship" with waiver recipients. He simply signed documents presented by the company without verifying whether recipients had legitimate medical grounds for exemption.
Investigators did not determine how many waivers bore his signature.
Pushing Back
Some employers and schools grew suspicious and denied the waivers. In response, Coble contacted those organizations directly, arguing they should accept his documents and pressing for reversals of denials.
The Dog Test
The system's flaws became clear when Nashville's News Channel 5 investigated. Investigative reporter Jennifer Krauss submitted an exemption application for her black Labrador retriever named Charlie, claiming the dog had "an irrational fear of needles."
No veterinarian examined the animal. No medical professional evaluated Charlie's condition.
MedChoice mailed back a signed waiver and a laminated card declaring Charlie "certified medically exempt from the COVID vaccine."
Public health department records do not mention Charlie or the NewsChannel 5 investigation in their documentation of Coble's case.
Our Analysis
This case exposes a fundamental vulnerability in exemption systems: employers and schools requiring vaccination proof relied on physician signatures as verification, but that verification depended entirely on individual physician integrity.
Coble's actions demonstrated that signatures could be obtained without any genuine medical evaluation. The pre-set exemption categories offered by MedChoice—allowing customers to claim autoimmune disease or general vaccine hesitancy through a simple selection—provided a template that could be used regardless of actual medical need.
What remains unknown is whether similar practices occurred elsewhere. The MedChoice model required only a willing physician and a website.
For organizations that accepted such waivers during the pandemic, this case raises questions about the legitimacy of exemptions obtained through similar online services. For licensing boards, it demonstrates what can happen when physician responsibilities in remote document signing remain undefined.
Watch for whether other jurisdictions identify similar cases and whether medical boards address remote waiver signing in future guidance.
What Happens Next
MedChoice has been dissolved according to Tennessee business records. Requests for comment from Coble went unanswered. The settlement permanently removes him from medical practice in Tennessee.
Key takeaways
- Coble signed waivers without establishing any doctor-patient relationship
- MedChoice operated as an intermediary, connecting buyers with a physician willing to sign unseen documents
- When organizations questioned waivers, Coble personally lobbied for their acceptance
- The scheme unraveled after journalists obtained an exemption for a dog named Charlie
- The case raises questions about how many similar services operated during the pandemic
Frequently asked questions
How many people received waivers signed by Coble?
State documents do not specify the total number. Waivers were sent to people in at least three states but investigators did not provide an exact count.
Did Coble receive money directly from waiver buyers?
The settlement documents do not address his compensation. He worked through MedChoice, which collected the $139 fees.
Why did health officials take action only recently?
The timeline from the documents shows Coble signed waivers in 2021, with the settlement occurring in May and announced in June. The specific investigation timeline is not detailed in available records.
Could other doctors face similar investigations?
The facts do not indicate whether other physicians are under investigation. The MedChoice model, however, required only a willing physician to operate. **END**
Source: kffhealthnews.org