ANDERSON WOMAN CHARGED WITH TENNCARE FRAUD AND FORGERY

NASHVILLE –  An Anderson County woman is charged with using her TennCare to pay for a fraudulent prescription. 

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrest of Jennifer Barber, 22, of Anderson County.  According to an arrest warrant, Barber knowingly and unlawfully obtained TennCare medical assistance benefits to which she was not entitled.  The warrant says she used her TennCare benefits to pay for a fraudulent prescription for Tramadol, a painkiller, at a pharmacy in Clinton, Tennessee.

“People who defraud TennCare will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said.    “ Prescription forgery continues to be a problem and with the help of the pharmacies and the citizens of Tennessee we are able to zero in on the individuals who are attempting to obtain drugs illegally.”

Forgery of a prescription is a Class E felony punishable by 1 to 2 years in prison. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the arrest.   District Attorney James Ramsey will prosecute.

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.”