TENNCARE FRAUD ARREST IN HAMILTON COUNTY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga Police Department Fraud Division officers, along with the Office of TennCare Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrest of a Hamilton County man for TennCare fraud.

Calvin Simmons of Chattanooga was charged with theft of $22,278.82 in unauthorized TennCare benefits paid on his behalf from February 1999 through October 2004. Simmons is alleged to have committed the felony theft of services by failing to report his employment and access to insurance to the TennCare Bureau. Because he had access to health care insurance, he was no longer eligible for TennCare benefits, but continued to use TennCare until October 2004 when he was terminated from the program.

“Our criminal investigations unit is now pursuing cases across Tennessee, working with local law enforcement to crack down on TennCare fraud,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. The OIG was formed by Governor Bredesen in 2004, and is now fully staffed. “Our investigators have over 270 years collectively in law enforcement experience and have state wide jurisdiction to investigate criminal fraud and abuse of the TennCare program, or any other violations of state criminal law related to the operation of TennCare."

The charge against Simmons is a Class C felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison. Hamilton County District Attorney William Cox is prosecuting.

TennCare is the state’s health insurance program for 1.3 million Tennesseans who are poor, disabled or uninsured.