Authorities charged a Lewisburg man with TennCare fraud and felony theft of property over $10,000, according to a state press release.
Officers with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department arrested that man, David Walter Tucker of Marshall County. They charged him with one count of obtaining benefits through TennCare despite not qualifying for the state health insurance program, which is a class D felony, and one count of theft of property over $10,000, a class C felony.
“Investigators say Tucker applied for TennCare benefits, claiming an income of $313.00 per month when his actual salary was many times that amount, approximately $3,500 a month. He also reported that he had a dependent son in his household when the son was living with the other estranged parent,” the press release said.
“Additionally, Tucker is accused of using his brother’s Social Security information on a job application so the wage information was not identified by TennCare.”
If convicted, Tucker could face up to 27 years in prison, according to the press release.
As The Tennessee Star reported earlier this month, authorities charged a Lewisburg woman with TennCare fraud for allegedly selling pills obtained using benefits of TennCare, the state’s healthcare insurance program.
As The Tennessee Star reported last month, authorities charged a North Carolina resident, Julie Carpenter, with a similar offense.
The arrest was the result of a joint effort with the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office of North Carolina. Authorities transported her to the sheriff’s office of Johnson County, Tenn. where they have her housed, according to a press release.
Carpenter is charged with one count of obtaining benefits through TennCare despite not qualifying for the program and one count of theft of services over $10,000, the press release went on to say.
As The Tennessee Star also reported, TennCare officials announced the arrest of an Arkansas woman, also on TennCare fraud charges.
According to a state press release, authorities say this Arkansan, Karen Wilson-Hicks, 52, moved from Tennessee but she knowingly did not report her new address. She allegedly did this to remain enrolled in the state healthcare insurance program.
Tennessee residency is an essential requirement for TennCare eligibility.
As reported, a Mississippi woman allegedly committed more than $250,000 worth of TennCare fraud, and she must pay that money back.
As The Star reported in July, authorities were investigating 16 people in Georgia for receiving benefits from Tennessee’s Medicaid program.
Those 16 Georgians likely couldn’t get health care coverage in their home state.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
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