DICKSON COUNTY WOMAN ARRESTED FOR TENNCARE FRAUD

NASHVILLE – A 20-year-old Dickson County woman is accused of attempting to use TennCare benefits to pay for a fraudulent prescription and for fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today arrested Tonya Renee Mitchell of Charlotte, Tennessee. Arrest warrants accuse Mitchell of going to a Dickson County pharmacy in April with a fraudulent prescription for the painkiller Lortab. The indictment says when TennCare denied the claim for the painkiller, Mitchell paid cash for the prescription. The 23rd Judicial District Drug Task Force assisted in the case.

“Tennessee law makes no distinction between those who attempt to defraud the TennCare program and those who actually commit TennCare fraud,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said. “We are working to vigorously investigate and prosecute all attempted fraud committed against TennCare.”

Mitchell is being held on a $2,000 cash bond on the TennCare fraud charge and $2,500 on the controlled substance charges. She is scheduled to appear in Dickson County General Sessions Court on July 11th. District Attorney General Dan Alsobrooks 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.”