Blount Co. Woman Charged 2nd Time with TennCare Fraud

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Blount County woman is charged for the second time with doctor shopping, a crime involving fraudulent efforts to obtain prescription drugs using TennCare healthcare insurance benefits.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, today announced the arrest of Martisha Large, 42, of Maryville. She is charged in a Knox County indictment with fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance by visiting multiple doctors in a short period of time in an effort to obtain prescriptions for the painkillers Oxycodone and Lortab, using TennCare as payment.

Large was first arrested earlier this month in Blount County, when she was charged with four counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain the painkillers Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Tylenol 3 and Codeine by doctor shopping.

“We have open cases in almost every county in Tennessee,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “We’re committed to stopping this type of activity so TennCare will be there for people who have legitimate needs for healthcare benefits.”

District Attorney General Charme P. Allen is prosecuting. As of July 1, 2016, TennCare fraud was changed to a Class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,711 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.

Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”