Special Reports
It's raising questions about whether inmates should be trusted with citizens' private information.
Hendersonville mother Beckye Taylor made sure to watch our special report.
"I was furious, I was absolutely furious," says Beckye Taylor.
She says she knows all too well about Tennessee inmates working for TennCare, with access to personal information.
"I didn't believe it at first. I said you're an inmate, like in prison, you're an inmate in prison," says Beckye Taylor.
Taylor says back in 2000 she received a medical statement for her daughter Chelsea.
It came from Vanderbilt, from a doctor Chelsea had never seen.
"They had everything address, phone numbers, birthdays, my name," says Beckye Taylor.
Taylor says when she called TennCare to complain, it was often an inmate answering the phone.
Although she has no proof, she wonders if her daughter's medical identity was compromised.
"It took years to get that information off my daughter's records," says Becky Taylor.
TennCare says it has no information anyone's identity has ever been stolen through the prison call center.
"We've
had this call center for 15 years now, and not once has there been any
incident where information has been used inappropriately," says Kelly
Gunderson with TennCare.
TennCare also released a statement
saying "Tenncare has attempted to investigate (Ms. Taylor's) Claim
extensively and has found no evidence to substantiate it."
TennCare
no longer allows inmates to answer customer service calls from its
enrollees, instead the prisoners deal with medical providers.
But Beckye Taylor's concern hasn't gone away.
"And you're going to entrust them with people's private information, now how stupid is that?" wonders Taylor.
Taylor
says she has had no other indication that her daughter's indentity has
been stolen, but she still worries about inmates with access.
"I will not give anybody else her information that is a convicted felon in prison," says Beckye Taylor.
TennCare says the medical statement Beckye Taylor received could have been a simple billing error.
They say it is not uncommon in health care, especially with a common last name like Taylor.
Tuesday, November 23 2010, 06:24 PM CST
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