24 rounded up in mass TennCare fraud sweep

A mass crackdown on TennCare fraud netted two dozen arrests, state officials said in a news release Thursday.

The suspects are charged in various locations on numerous counts including under-reporting income, living out of state, failing to disclose resource information and transferring property in order to qualify for TennCare, doctor shopping, presenting forged prescriptions or selling prescriptions.

The Office of Inspector General conducted the statewide roundup, part of a new approach to take people into custody soon after an indictment by a grand jury and to locate and arrest fugitives, according to the news release.

“We want everyone to know that if someone is involved in committing TennCare fraud, the chance of getting caught has increased substantially,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said.

People arrested in the local region include:

Hershel P. Turner, 60, of Crossville, charged with TennCare fraud and delivery of the painkiller Oxycodone. Turner used TennCare benefits to obtain the drug, later selling a portion to an undercover informant.

Elizabeth Lamb, 36, of Decatur, charged in both Hamilton and McMinn counties with TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping for drugs, using TennCare as payment, and it’s her third round of TennCare fraud charges. Lamb was charged in Hamilton County with two counts of doctor shopping along with two counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Upon making bond, Lamb was transported to McMinn County, where she was charged with two counts of doctor shopping, using TennCare as payment. She was first arrested in March in Meigs County and her second TennCare fraud arrest was a month later in Bradley County, where she was charged with two counts of doctor shopping.

Cathie S. Carter, 60, of Chickamauga, Ga., charged with TennCare fraud and theft of services over $10,000. Carter is accused of fraudulently reporting to the state that she and her daughter resided in Tennessee.

Amy L. Smith, 43, of Cleveland, charged in Bradley County with two counts of TennCare fraud. She is accused of using TennCare on two separate occasions to obtain Opana, a narcotic pain medication, and selling a portion to an undercover agent.

Casey W. Millsaps, 21, of Soddy-Daisy, charged in Hamilton County with eight counts of TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare as payment.

TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge.