Your most personal information could be in the hands of Tennessee prisoners.
   
We've uncovered shocking new details about how it's being protected.

We first started looking into TennCare's prison call center last November, and now the contents of a letter has state officials calling for an investigation.

It is information closely guarded; so are the prisoners at the Tennessee Prison for Women.

But inside the prison walls Tennesseans' Social Security Numbers and inmates come together.

FOX 17 News introduced you to TennCare's prison call center last fall.
      
And now, a letter sent to our newsroom is causing great concern.

An anonymous inmate, claiming to be one of 30 women who answers thousands of calls each week about TennCare claims, saw our story and heard TennCare's assurances about security.

"And we have lots of safeguards in place to make sure that information cannot be used inappropriately," says TennCare spokesperson Kelly Gunderson during our November 2010 interview.

TennCare told us all paper is shredded, inmates are searched twice a day, and personal information is protected.

But the letter, which bears the Department of Corrections stamp claims the inmates are quote "never searched."
    
As proof the writer sent along a document that could ruin a man's financial life.

"All the information is correct," says Dr. Bill Stewart.


FOX 17 News showed the inmate's letter to Dr. Bill Stewart.  The letter also contained his personal information.

"I mean your name and your address, and your birthdate, your Social Security number, tax id number, you don't need much more," says Dr. Stewart.

It turns out the prisoners don't just have access to thousands of TennCare enrollees' information, this document indicates they also know details about many of the state's doctors.

"I mean there's no reason to have access to that information," says Dr. Stewart.

But what about those assurances from TennCare about all of the safeguards.  Back in November TennCare described a 15 year security track record they're proud of."

"Not once has there been any incident where information has been used inappropriately," says Gunderson during our November 2010 interview.

We took the inmate's letter to State Representative Joey Hensley.

"That's certainly information that inmates don't need to have, that's for sure," says Rep. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald.

Hensley chairs the TennCare Oversight Committee and is also a doctor.

"I have TennCare patients too so they probably have my information, and every doctor that has TennCare patients," says Rep. Hensley.

When FOX 17 News first started investigating the call center, Hensley says he was convinced the safeguards were working- now he thinks otherwise.

"Even if you put safeguards in place, if you're not doing them they're just that's not adequate," says Rep. Hensley.

TennCare refused to speak about the letter on camera, but they did provide a brief statement.
   
"We find the possibility that someone inappropriately removed information from the call center disconcerting and unacceptable."
     
TennCare goes on to explain it is working toward closing the prison call center by July 1st.

"Ultimately this might result in the call centers being removed from the prison," says Rep. Hensley.

Meanwhile, Memphis Doctor Bill Stewart worries his identity could be compromised.

"I question the validity of their 15 year track record.  I bet if you went back and looked, there has to be other security breaches," says Dr. Stewart.

It turns out TennCare may have no choice but to shut down the call center.  

A new law passed by Congress makes it illegal for states to allow inmates to access Social Security numbers.  The law goes into effect later this year.

TennCare Oversight Committee chairman Joey Hensley says the call center will be discussed at their next meeting.

FOX 17 News will continue to follow this story.
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