Two in East Tennessee Charged with TennCare Fraud
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Blount County woman and a man from Hamilton County are charged in separate cases involving TennCare fraud. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrests.
In Knox County, Angelia L. Burrell, 39, of Alcoa is charged with doctor shopping, which involves going to multiple doctors to obtain similar prescriptions for controlled substances. She is charged with three counts of doctor shopping and three counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. The drug involved is the painkiller Percocet. TennCare paid for the clinical visits, the prescriptions, or both. TennCare fraud is a Class E felony, carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge. District Attorney General Charme P. Allen is prosecuting.
In Hamilton County, Harry Rawlings, 42, of Chattanooga is charged with TennCare fraud for using the program to pay for a fraudulent prescription. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. Rawlings is charged with TennCare fraud, obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and forgery in a case accusing him of presenting a local pharmacy with a forged prescription for the painkiller Oxycodone, using TennCare to pay for the forged prescription. TennCare fraud and forgery are Class E felonies, each carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison. Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud is a Class D felony, punishable by two to four years in prison. District Attorney General Neal Pinkston is prosecuting.
“The Office of Inspector General has a zero tolerance for people who use TennCare to support prescription drug abuse,” stated Inspector General Manny Tyndall. “We appreciate and value the hard work of the physicians and local law enforcement across the state and their efforts in helping us develop these cases.”
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,363 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to Office of Inspector General and follow the prompts that read "Report TennCare Fraud."