A Warren County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping, or using the state’s Medicaid managed care program to go to multiple healthcare providers in order to obtain controlled substances.The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with assistance from sheriff’s officers in Warren and White counties, today announced the arrest of Iris Quinn, 52, of Sparta, Tennessee.
Quinn is charged with three counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain controlled substances by doctor shopping for controlled substance prescriptions, with the physician office visits being paid for with TennCare benefits.
“The unauthorized use and abuse of prescription drugs obtained with TennCare benefits is a serious crime,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said. “We are committed to ensuring that TennCare benefits are not used to put drugs in the wrong hands.”
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge. District Attorney General Lisa S. Zavogiannis is prosecuting.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3.5 million paid in restitution and recoupment to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $173 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures. To date, over 2,000 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
