A Hamilton County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping, or using TennCare to go to multiple providers in a short time period in order to obtain controlled substances.
The Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday announced the arrest of Ashley Brooke Weaver, 34, of Chattanooga. She is charged with six counts of doctor shopping to obtain Adderall, an often-abused stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorder.
“Doctor shopping with TennCare is a big mistake, because state tax dollars are being used to pay for drugs intended for distribution or abuse,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “We appreciate and value the hard work of the healthcare providers across the state and their efforts in helping us develop these cases.”
District Attorney General Neal Pinkston is prosecuting. TennCare fraud is a Class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison per charge.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,873 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”