Tennessee Couple Bleeds TRICARE for $65 Million

A Tennessee husband and wife, Jimmy and Ashley Collins, have confessed to running a brazen $65 million fraud scheme targeting TRICARE, the healthcare program for U.S. military personnel and their families. The couple didn’t lift a finger in service of those who serve; instead, they systematically siphoned off funds through a network of sham prescriptions and kickbacks, lining their pockets while betraying the trust placed in the system.

The Collinses operated Choice MD, a Tennessee clinic where doctors allegedly rubber-stamped prescriptions for expensive, often unnecessary, compounded medications. These weren’t legitimate medical needs; the couple actively recruited TRICARE beneficiaries, dangling the promise of ‘free’ medication in exchange for their participation. Proper medical evaluations? A formality, according to federal prosecutors. The operation was a calculated effort to exploit a system designed to care for those who put their lives on the line.

The prescriptions weren’t filled locally. They were shipped to The Medicine Shoppe, a pharmacy in Utah, which happily obliged, knowing full well the claims were fraudulent. The pharmacy reaped massive reimbursements from TRICARE, and in return, kicked back a percentage to the Collinses – a classic, cynical arrangement. This wasn’t just negligence; it was a coordinated conspiracy fueled by greed.

The scheme wasn’t limited to the Collinses and the Utah pharmacy. Doctors Susan Vergot and Carl Lindblad, along with nurse practitioner Candace Craven, all employed by Choice MD, have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud. They face sentencing alongside the Collinses. Patient recruiters were also compensated with kickbacks for bringing in TRICARE beneficiaries, creating a web of complicity that stretched across state lines.

Between December 2014 and May 2015 alone, doctors at Choice MD authorized over 4,400 fraudulent prescriptions, billing TRICARE a staggering $65.7 million. The feds haven’t been idle. They’ve seized assets obtained through the illicit scheme, including an 82-foot yacht, luxury vehicles, a multimillion-dollar annuity, farm equipment, tractor-trailer trucks, and multiple real estate holdings. It’s a start, but doesn’t fully compensate for the betrayal of service members.

Jimmy and Ashley Collins are the final pieces of this criminal puzzle to admit guilt. They’re scheduled to be sentenced on October 27th, facing potentially years in federal prison. While this case closes, it serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and the lengths to which some will go to exploit them. Federal prosecutors are committed to holding these fraudsters accountable and safeguarding resources intended for those who deserve them most.

This wasn’t a victimless crime. Every dollar stolen from TRICARE represents a potential reduction in care for the men and women who serve our country. The feds will continue to investigate and prosecute those who prey on the system, ensuring that those who commit healthcare fraud face the full weight of the law.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility of additional charges or indictments. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.