TIPTON COUNTY WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TENNCARE FRAUD

CHARGES WERE DRUG-RELATED

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Tipton County woman has been convicted of obtaining prescription drugs by fraud. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced that Holly Noelle Goodbar, 28, of Burlison was convicted on multiple counts of fraudulently obtaining possession of the prescription painkiller Hydrocodone.

OIG Special Agents arrested Goodbar in July, after she was indicted on four counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Goodbar waived her right to a jury trial in Tipton County Circuit Court, pleading guilty to charges in the case. She was sentenced to a total of four years in a state prison. Because she was classified by the court as a multiple offender, Goodbar must serve at least 35-percent of the four-year sentence before she will be eligible for parole.

“We were fully staffed and on the street in February of this year, and already have seen nine convictions among the 77 people charged with TennCare fraud this year, which is very fast for criminal cases,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said. Tipton County District Attorney General Elizabeth Rice prosecuted the case.

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.”