Thelma Dees-Johnson
Special agents in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit have obtained an indictment for a former TennCare provider accused of billing for services she did not provide.
After receiving information from authorities at TennCare, TBI agents began investigating Thelma Dees-Johnson, 61, on Oct. 26, 2011. Ms. Dees-Johnson, a licensed practical counselor, was the owner of Bridgeway Mental Health Services. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that, over a period of several years, Ms. Dees-Johnson submitted claims to TennCare for counseling services she did not perform. On many occasions, the investigation revealed Ms. Dees-Johnson was not present at her office on the days for which services were billed. In 2015, she dissolved the company and moved to Palatka, Florida.
On March 24, the Davidson County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Ms. Dees-Johnson with one count of TennCare Fraud (over $60,000). On Friday, authorities booked her into the Davidson County Jail on a $25,000 bond.