Arkansas Woman Charged with TennCare Fraud

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - An Arkansas woman living in Florida is back in Shelby Co., Tenn., today, facing TennCare fraud charges for falsely reporting her residency in order to obtain TennCare healthcare insurance benefits.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance from sheriff’s officers in Santa Rosa County, Arkansas and Shelby County, Tenn., today announced the arrest of Jann Cooke, 36, of Gulf Breeze, Florida.

Cooke is charged in an August 2016 indictment in Shelby County with TennCare fraud, theft of property over $10,000 and theft of property over $500. The indictment accuses her of obtaining TennCare healthcare insurance benefits by intentionally misrepresenting that she and her family resided in Tennessee when they actually lived in Arkansas. After the indictment, Cook was discovered residing in Gulf Breeze, Florida and was extradited back to Tennessee by Shelby County Sheriff’s officers.

“Clearly, we are committed to pursuing people who commit TennCare fraud no matter where they are,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “When you hear about someone crossing state lines to enroll in TennCare, we are eager to hear from you.”

District Attorney General Amy T. Weirich is prosecuting. TennCare fraud is now 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, 2,791 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.”