Cannon Co. Woman Charged 2nd Time with TennCare Fraud

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Cannon County woman is charged in nearby Rutherford County with doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare as payment. It’s her second arrest on similar charges.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with assistance from officers with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, today announced the arrest of Heather Hale, 29, of Woodbury. An indictment charges her with two counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance by doctor shopping, or going to several providers in a short time period to obtain prescriptions for the painkillers Hydrocodone and Tramadol, using TennCare as payment.

Hale was just arrested in September on an indictment in Cannon County, charging her with doctor shopping for the same drugs, painkillers Hydrocodone and Tramadol, using TennCare to pay for either the clinical visits or the prescriptions.  She was charged with two counts of TennCare fraud by doctor shopping.

“Tennessee is fortunate to have the laws and the authority to pursue people who are doctor shopping for drugs, whether it’s for personal abuse or with the intent of distribution,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said.

District Attorney General Jennings H. Jones is prosecuting.  As of July 1, 2016, TennCare fraud was changed to a Class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,759 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.

Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”