BLEDSOE COUNTY MAN ARRESTED FOR TENNCARE FRAUD

NASHVILLE – A Bledsoe County man has been charged with TennCare fraud. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrest of Richard Holland, 39, of Pikeville, Tennessee.

Holland was indicted Tuesday by the Bledsoe County Grand Jury for defrauding the State of Tennessee of TennCare benefits. The two count indictment charges that Holland, who is not a TennCare enrollee, committed the felonies of fraudulently obtaining TennCare medical benefits by making false statements and impersonating a TennCare enrollee in order to obtain prescriptions for hydrocodone and alprazolam, with TennCare paying for them. Hydrocodone is a strong and addictive painkiller; alprazolam is used to treat anxiety.

“It is particularly troubling when someone who’s not eligible for TennCare tries to find a way to abuse the program,” said Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner. “When we find people doing so, we will prosecute them.”

The TennCare charges against Holland are Class D felonies, punishable by up to four years each. Bond was set at $5,000. Bledsoe County District Attorney J. Michael Taylor is prosecuting.

Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tennessee.gov/tenncare and follow the prompts that read “Report Fraud Now.”