A 26-year-old Smithville woman has been charged with TennCare fraud after being arrested by the sheriff’s department last week.Krista Mahaney is accused of “doctor shopping,” or using TennCare to pay for multiple doctor visits to obtain controlled substances.Mahaney was charged after a joint investigation involving with the sheriff’s department and the inspector general’s office. She is charged with two counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain controlled substances.The charges accuse Mahaney of seeing more than one physician within a 30-day period for the purpose of obtaining prescriptions for Suboxone.Suboxone is a medication used to treat addiction to other drugs, allegedly without the addictive qualities, but said to bring up to $30 per pill on the street.The visits and prescriptions were paid for by TennCare.“The unauthorized use and abuse of prescription drugs is a serious crime, and it’s compounded when TennCare is used to subsidize the activity,” Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said.“We’re committed to ensuring that TennCare benefits are not used for the purchase and eventual distribution of these drugs to people they weren’t prescribed for.”TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years per charge in prison.District Attorney General Randall A. York is prosecuting the case.The OIG began operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $3.5 million paid in restitution and recovery to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $173 million for the TennCare program, according to latest figures.To date, nearly 1,500 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 log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read "Report TennCare Fraud."