Knox Co. Woman Charged with TennCare Drug Fraud

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Knox County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving prescription drugs and forgery.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with assistance from Knoxville Police Department, today announced the arrest of Mary A. Williamson, 37, of Knoxville. She is charged with five counts of TennCare fraud and 15 counts of obtaining controlled substances by forgery.

Williamson is accused of passing forged prescriptions for the painkiller Hydrocodone and Carisoprodol, a muscle relaxer, at Knoxville pharmacies, using TennCare as payment.

“Prescription drug fraud takes many forms, and the methods used to forge prescriptions is something we’ve worked hard to keep pharmacists alert to,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “Before the OIG came into operation, providers had limited resources to pursue questionable prescriptions.”

District Attorney General Charme P. Allen is prosecuting.

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, 2,534 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 log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig/ and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”