Rhea County Resident Convicted of Theft of Services Related to TennCare Fraud

NASHVILLE, TN - The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced the conviction of 36-year-old Haleigh Dodd of Spring City, Tennessee.

Dodd failed to disclose to TennCare that she no longer had primary custody of her son. Had she properly disclosed this information, she would not have been eligible to receive benefits.  

While the TennCare charge was dismissed, Dodd was convicted of one count of Theft of Services, $2,500 to less than $10,000, a Class D felony.

Ms. Dodd was sentenced to 3 years supervised Tennessee Department of Correction probation and ordered to pay court costs and restitution totaling $12,609.72.

Ms. Dodd’s case was prosecuted by Rhea County District Attorney General Courtney Lynch with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Thomas R. McEntryre.

“Public assistance programs such as TennCare rely on complete and truthful disclosure,” said Inspector General Chad D. Holman. “When recipients intentionally provide false or misleading information, it is not a minor administrative issue — it is fraud. We will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse TennCare, a program designed to provide critical health care coverage to eligible Tennesseans.”

Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the TN Legislature, Tennesseans may qualify for cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to a conviction. To report suspected TennCare fraud, call 1-800-433-3982, or visit www.tn.gov/oig and follow the prompts to “Report TennCare fraud.”

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