HAWKINS, CLAIBORNE CO. ARRESTS FOR TENNCARE DRUG FRAUDNASHVILLE – Two men from Hawkins and Claiborne Counties are the latest charged with TennCare fraud by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). In both cases, TennCare enrollees are charged with selling prescription drugs paid for by TennCare. Jerry Wayne Trent, 55, of Hawkins County and Noah Kinard, 67, of Claiborne County were charged after allegedly selling the addictive painkiller OxyContin on several occasions to undercover officers with the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Department. The drug was purchased with their TennCare healthcare insurance benefits. “Our criminal investigations unit is pursuing cases across Tennessee, working with local law enforcement to crack down on TennCare fraud,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. “Local officers are usually the first point of contact with some of those who are committing TennCare fraud, and they want to get it off the streets as badly as we do.” District Attorney General C. Berkley Bell will be prosecuting both cases. If convicted both could face up to 2 years in prison. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tennessee.gov/tenncare and follow the prompts that read “Report Fraud Now.”
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