There is established a medicaid fraud control unit, referred to as the medicaid fraud control division, which is separate and distinct from the state medicaid agency, and is within the Tennessee bureau of investigation or within another appropriate agency at the discretion of the governor. As regulated by federal law, the unit is authorized to investigate and refer for prosecution violations of all applicable laws pertaining to provider or vendor fraud and abuse in the administration of the medicaid program; the provision of goods or services or the activities of providers of goods or services under the state medicaid plan; medicare fraud; abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of funds or property in healthcare facilities receiving payments under the state medicaid plan and in board and care facilities as allowed by federal law; and complaints of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of medicaid recipients in any setting. A summary of the unit's work shall be included in a report which must be submitted annually to the governor, judiciary committee of the senate, and criminal justice committee of the house of representatives.
T.C.A. § 71-5-2508