HAWKINS CO. MAN CHARGED WITH TENNCARE FRAUD

NASHVILLE – A Hawkins County man was arrested today for TennCare fraud – for failing to report income in order to get a lower monthly payment for TennCare health care insurance. Since February 7, 2005 the Office of TennCare Inspector General (OIG) has made 27 arrests – twelve of those have occurred since May 1.

Anthony Keith Dillard, 48, of Surgoinsville, was indicted by a Hawkins County Grand Jury and charged with fraudulently obtaining TennCare benefits and theft of services. The two-count indictment alleges that between September 2002 and February 2003, Dillard should have paid premiums for TennCare coverage based on his income. Investigators say Dillard avoided paying premiums by concealing his employment from TennCare officials.

The indictment also alleges that from February 2003 to July 2004, Dillard stole over thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) in TennCare benefits. Authorities say Dillard was not entitled to the benefits because he had access to private health insurance through his employer. Bond was set at $30,000. District Attorney General C. Berkeley Bell is prosecuting.

The Office of TennCare Inspector General was created in 2004 by Governor Phil Bredesen and the General Assembly to go after TennCare fraud with more investigative tools and resources.

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.”

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