The Idaho Statesman reports today that a Boise woman, Tina Lancaster has been indicted on 52 counts of health care fraud and obstruction of a federal audit. The story says:

"According to the indictment, Lancaster billed Medicaid for physical therapy services that were not ordered by a physician, were not provided by licensed physical therapists, or were not provided at all. The indictment also said she billed for one-on-one therapy when services were provided to more than one patient at the same time."

Of particular interest to me: first – they say she got around $100,000, and second – she has the federal defender’s office representing her. A hundred thousand is not that much money for this type of case, so that tells me that the feds in Idaho are still looking at cases that might not get much attention in other locales. Second, the fact that the federal defender’s office is on board means that the hundred grand is likely all gone. Idaho’s federal defender’s are great lawyers – but they are only involved in cases in which the defendant has no money to hire a private lawyer. Of course this means nothing as it relates to guilt or innocence.

Federal criminal defense work is complex stuff – so this defendant is lucky to have some very good lawyers provided to her "free of charge." And the case will likely present some complex issues.