A couple years ago, Slate’s Josh Levin investigated the origins of the welfare-queen myth, tracing it to a real figure, Linda Taylor. What Levin found was that Taylor’s story was far weirder than simply bilking the system—that might have been the least of her crimes. Despite being a singularly bizarre figure, the idea that there are hundreds of Linda Taylors out there making money off the safety net is a powerful political force. And that makes fraudulent schemes like the ones Lynch alleged today all the more pernicious. Not only are doctors who rip the system off stealing from taxpayers, they’re reshaping public opinion in ways that harm the people who truly need health care.