TWO MID-STATE WOMEN CHARGED WITH TENNCARE FRAUD

WILSON WOMAN ACCUSED OF PHONING HER OWN PRESCRIPTIONS TO PHARMACY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two mid-state women have been charged with TennCare fraud. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrests in Sumner and Wilson Counties, including a woman charged with telephoning her own prescriptions to a local pharmacy.

A two-count Wilson County indictment accuses Cynthia Faye Heinz, 30, of Alexandria of fraudulently obtaining TennCare medical benefits by posing as a nurse and telephoning fraudulent prescriptions for hydrocodone, a highly addictive painkiller, to local pharmacies. The TennCare charges against Heinz are Class E felonies, each carrying up to two years in prison. Wilson County District Attorney Tommy Thompson is prosecuting.

“We simply cannot tolerate prescription drug fraud in the TennCare program,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. “Local providers and law enforcement agencies are equally committed to eliminating this problem in our communities.”

A four-count Sumner County indictment accuses 29-year-old Wanda Searcy of Portland with obtaining Lortab, the brand version of hydrocodone, by filling fraudulent prescriptions in Sumner County. TennCare paid for all of the prescriptions. An earlier indictment accuses Searcy of unlawfully, knowingly and intentionally acquiring or attempting to acquire Lortab by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge, a Class D felony, which carries a penalty of up to four years in prison. The TennCare fraud charges are Class E felonies that carry a penalty of up to two years each in prison. District Attorney Ray Whitley is prosecuting.

“This goes to show that we are keeping the pressure on TennCare fraud prosecutions in Sumner County through the Office of Inspector General and that we are enjoying good cooperation with OIG and plan to continue to be vigilant in protecting the TennCare program from fraud and abuse,” Whitley said.

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.”