Two in East Tennessee Charged with TennCare Fraud, Including Alabama Woman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two people are charged in southeastern Tennessee with TennCare fraud, including a former Tennessee resident now living in Alabama.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrests:

• Shirley C. Calcote, 39, of Flat Rock, Alabama, is charged in Marion County, Tennessee with TennCare fraud and two counts of theft of services. An indictment states that Calcote obtained TennCare benefits by intentionally misrepresenting that her family resided in Tennessee when they actually lived in Alabama.
• Rachel A. Spinks (Delridge), 33, of Dayton, is charged in Bradley County with four counts of fraudulently using TennCare benefits to obtain the painkillers Hydrocodone, Morphine and Tylenol-3 by doctor shopping..

“Before the legislature approved the OIG over a decade ago, there wasn’t a solid effort to find people in other states who were still getting TennCare benefits,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “We follow through on every lead, every tip, every case in an effort to stop this activity in TennCare – as well as prescription drug fraud and other forms of fraud against TennCare.”  

District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor will prosecute the Marion County case. District Attorney General Stephen D. Crump will prosecute the Bradley County case.

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, 2,758 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.”