Murfreesboro Woman Charged With TennCare Fraud

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Five people in Middle Tennessee are charged with TennCare fraud in separate arrests, including a Murfreesboro woman charged previously with TennCare fraud involving prescription drugs.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) today announced the arrests:

  • Alexis Noel Sanders, 22, of Murfreesboro is charged in Davidson County with fraudulently using TennCare benefits to obtain Hydrocodone by doctor shopping, which is the crime of visiting multiple doctors in a short period of time to obtain prescription drugs. Sanders was charged once before with TennCare drug fraud in March of this year and pleaded guilty to the charges. She was sentenced to a year in jail, which as suspended to supervised probation and 100 hours of unpaid community service, along with court costs and fines.
  • Tanya Dee Parker-Musarra, 39, of Ashland City is charged in Cheatham County with three counts of TennCare fraud and three counts of sale of a Schedule II controlled substance in connection with using TennCare benefits to obtain the painkiller Hydrocodone, later selling a portion to a confidential informant.
  • Neoma C. Lemke, 74, of Ashland City is charged in Cheatham County with TennCare fraud for using TennCare benefits to obtain Hydrocodone, later selling a portion to a confidential informant.
  • Stacy R. Krantz, 42, of Ashland City is charged in Cheatham County with TennCare fraud in connection with using TennCare benefits to obtain the painkiller Oxycodone and later selling a portion to a confidential informant.
  • Heather Ann Pitts, 36, of Nashville is charged in Davidson County with TennCare fraud, theft of services over $60,000 and a separate charged of theft of services over $10,000. Charges say she obtained TennCare benefits by claiming her minor child lived with her when that was not the case. Without a dependent, she would not have been eligible for TennCare.

“Prescription drug fraud is a problem across the nation, and Tennessee is non immune,” Inspector General Manny Tydall said. “We intend to follow through on every lead, every tip, every case in an effort to stop this activity in TennCare.”

District Attorney General Ray Crouch, Jr. will prosecute all three Cheatham County cases. District Attorney General Glenn R. Funk will prosecute the Davidson County cases. As of July 1, 2016, TennCare fraud was changed to a Class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

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, 2,778 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.

Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”

– See more at: https://www.tn.gov/news/47060#sthash.o0eEvzsX.dpuf