by Joe Kirkpatrick

You better watch out, you  better not cry, the TennCare fraud investigators are goin' to leave you high and dry!

Finally, the barking is over and the biting has begun.  This month, a White  County man was indicted for TennCare fraud after he hid some of his assets so his ex-wife could qualify for the program.  He now faces up to eight years in prison, restitution of over $40,000 for the amount TennCare paid while his ex-wife was on the program, plus court costs and attorney's fees.

Last year, Governor Bredesen had promised tighter restrictions for TennCare, including addressing the massive amount of fraud in the program, and it looks like he is serious about his promise.

Almost everyone seems to know of someone who is on TennCare illegally, but it is usually a friend or family member so they feel bad about turning them in.  Will they really feel as bad if the TBI along with TennCare posts a toll free number where they can turn in violators and receive a $500 reward?

You have to remember if you know someone who is fraudulently receiving TennCare benefits, they are taking money that might pay for more current textbooks for your children, paving the highway in front of your house, and many  other things that are now being cut by the state so they can keep TennCare afloat.

I have heard about a local business woman who lets her sister who lives in Georgia use her home address in Tennessee so the sister can be on TennCare.  I have a  doctor friend who tells me he knows of several more who live in Georgia but use  relative's addresses in Tennessee,  and I think I can get him to provide me with that information.  According to the law, both the business woman and her sister will be arrested if I can find out their names and turn them in, so I wonder if that means I can get $500 for each one?  If the doctor comes through with 3 or 4  names, that can be $1500 to $2000 more.  Sure beats what I get paid by The People News for writing in this paper!

Bottom line?  Consider this article to be a notice it is officially "open season" on TennCare violators.  Am I going to turn in  the violators I mentioned?  Not immediately.  When I find out for sure their names and addresses, I'm going to make sure they get a copy of this article, and in 60 days, if they are still on TennCare, you betcha I am!

If you know a friend or family member who is taking part in TennCare fraud, PLEASE give them a copy of this article.  A person who fraudulently receives $2000 a year in TennCare benefits is no different than someone who shoplifts $2000 worth of clothes. 

Remember, the number of people committing TennCare fraud is probably many times greater than the number of people making and using meth, and finally, people abusing TennCare are going to get arrested and prosecuted just like the meth  abusers.