Pain Care Providers Services to Medicare are not Unlimited
See the full video at https://rumble.com/v6zb2a8-it-doesnt-pay-to-cheat-medicare.html and at https://youtu.be/b1924Ki2GQs, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.
In the People Of The State Of California ex rel. San Diego Comprehensive Pain Management Center, Inc. v. Jaysen Eisengrein and Sandra Love, No. 24-cv-01481-BAS-BJC, United States District Court, S.D. California (September 17, 2025) Defendants Jaysen Eisengrein and Sandra Love’s (“Defendants”) moved the USDC to Dismiss Plaintiff San Diego Comprehensive Pain Management Center, Inc.’s (“SDCPMC” or “Plaintiff”) Complaint.
Plaintiff is a medical provider located in San Diego County that treats Medicare beneficiaries with chronic pain, and this is the third action stemming from a suspension of its Medicare payments. Previously the USDC dismissed Plaintiff’s suit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because it did not show that it had exhausted administrative remedies or show that the exhaustion requirement should be judicially waived.
BACKGROUND
Administrative Remedies
Although providers cannot appeal a temporary payment suspension, a suspension “may culminate in an appealable determination . . . if [reimbursement] claims are subsequently denied.” Before filing suit in court, a Medicare beneficiary must proceed through five levels of administrative review, described in regulations issued by the controlling agency, CMS, as follows:
1 an initial determination by the Medicare administrative contractor;
2 a redetermination by the Medicare administrative contractor;
3 reconsideration by a qualified independent contractor;
4 a hearing before an administrative law judge . . .; and
5 review by the Medicare Appeals Council.
If the beneficiary is dissatisfied with the Appeals Council’s decision, he or she may then seek judicial review.
The Prior Actions
In late 2021, Plaintiff and two related medical practices sued, among others, HHS and Qlarant Integrity Solutions, LLC (“Qlarant”) to remove the suspension and receive payments for their outstanding claims. The Court analyzed whether waiving the exhaustion requirement was appropriate and found waiver was not warranted. The Court consequently dismissed Plaintiffs’ action in SDCPMC I and SDCPMC II for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
The Present Action
Ultimately, Plaintiff’s Complaint in this present action is nearly identical to its Complaint in SDCPMC II.
MOTION TO DISMISS
Defendants move to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) because this ground is decisive.
Defendants Mount Facial and Factual Challenges to Subject Matter Jurisdiction
As a threshold matter, the Court concluded that Defendants’ motion presents both a facial and a factual attack to subject matter jurisdiction. Defendants mount a factual attack. The Court recognizes that Defendants have raised a factual attack on subject matter jurisdiction.
Plaintiff’s Complaint Recycles Allegations from SDCPMC II
First and foremost the subject matter jurisdiction analysis conducted in SDCPMC II does not change simply because Plaintiff now alleges that Medicare has terminated the suspension of payments in effect at the time.
Plaintiff may not seek judicial review without first obtaining a final agency decision subject to administrative appeal, and failure to exhaust one’s administrative remedies deprives federal courts of subject matter jurisdiction over claims arising under the Medicare Act. Plaintiff cannot circumvent this Court’s prior ruling by characterizing the termination of a payment suspension as a final agency decision.
The Court granted Defendants’ Rule 12(b)(1) motion due to the plaintiff’s failure to establish subject matter jurisdiction. The court emphasized that even if diversity jurisdiction could be established, the Medicare Act’s provisions would still preclude subject matter jurisdiction without a final decision issued by the Secretary. Consequently, the case was dismissed without prejudice.
ZALMA OPINION
Health care providers who improperly bill Medicare find CMS refuses to pay their claims for payment for services to Medicare patients. The law allows – indeed – requires that the provider seek administrative remedies before they can sue. The Defendants – health care providers – attempted three time to circumvent the need to fulfill administrative remedies only to find their attempts failed and the USDC dismissing their attempt three time by attempting recycle previous litigation. It didn’t work.
(c) 2025 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Posted on January 2, 2026 by Barry Zalma
ZIFL – Volume 30 Number 1
THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
See the video at https://rumble.com/v73nifg-zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-january-2-2026.html and at https://youtu.be/vZC1e-_qwDg
Supreme Court of Louisiana Removes Judge
Judge Who Lied to Get Elected Cannot Serve
In In Re: Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts, No. 2025-O-01127, Supreme Court of Louisiana (December 11, 2025) the Louisiana Supreme Court in an opinion by Chief Justice Weimer dealt with the recommendation of the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana (Commission) that Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts be removed from office for:
1. making false and misleading statements regarding her judicial campaigns;
2. making false and misleading statements to police investigating the reported burglary of her car; and
3. withholding information and providing false, incomplete, or misleading information during the investigation by the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), as well as in the proceedings before the Commission....
Montana County Attorney Admits to Insurance Fraud & Is Only Suspended from Practice for 60 Days
Post 5251
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gnBaCjmv, see the video at https://lnkd.in/gfpVsyAd and at https://lnkd.in/gC73Nd8z, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.
A Lawyer Who Commits Insurance Fraud and Pleas to a Lower Charge Only Suspended
In The Matter Of: Naomi R. Leisz, Attorney at Law, No. PR 25-0150, Supreme Court of Montana (December 23, 2025) the Montana Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) filed a formal disciplinary complaint with the Commission on Practice (Commission) against Montana attorney Naomi R. Leisz.
On September 25, 2025, Leisz tendered a conditional admission and affidavit of consent. Leisz acknowledged the material facts of the complaint were true and she had violated the Montana Rules of Professional Conduct as alleged by ODC.
ADMISSIONS
Leisz admitted that in April 2022, her minor son was involved in a car accident in which he hit a power pole. Leisz’s son ...
Montana County Attorney Admits to Insurance Fraud & Is Only Suspended from Practice for 60 Days
Post 5251
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gnBaCjmv, see the video at https://lnkd.in/gfpVsyAd and at https://lnkd.in/gC73Nd8z, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.
A Lawyer Who Commits Insurance Fraud and Pleas to a Lower Charge Only Suspended
In The Matter Of: Naomi R. Leisz, Attorney at Law, No. PR 25-0150, Supreme Court of Montana (December 23, 2025) the Montana Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) filed a formal disciplinary complaint with the Commission on Practice (Commission) against Montana attorney Naomi R. Leisz.
On September 25, 2025, Leisz tendered a conditional admission and affidavit of consent. Leisz acknowledged the material facts of the complaint were true and she had violated the Montana Rules of Professional Conduct as alleged by ODC.
ADMISSIONS
Leisz admitted that in April 2022, her minor son was involved in a car accident in which he hit a power pole. Leisz’s son ...
Court Must Follow Judicial Precedent
Post 5252
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Insurance Policy Interpretation Requires Application of the Judicial Construction Doctrine
In Montrose Chemical Corporation Of California v. The Superior Court Of Los Angeles County, Canadian Universal Insurance Company, Inc., et al., B335073, Court of Appeal, 337 Cal.Rptr.3d 222 (9/30/2025) the Court of Appeal refused to allow extrinsic evidence to interpret the word “sudden” in qualified pollution exclusions (QPEs) as including gradual but unexpected pollution. The court held that, under controlling California appellate precedent, the term “sudden” in these standard-form exclusions unambiguously includes a temporal element (abruptness) and cannot reasonably be construed to mean ...
Lack of Jurisdiction Defeats Suit for Defamation
Post 5250
Posted on December 29, 2025 by Barry Zalma
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He Who Represents Himself in a Lawsuit has a Fool for a Client
In Pankaj Merchia v. United Healthcare Services, Inc., Civil Action No. 24-2700 (RC), United States District Court, District of Columbia (December 22, 2025)
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Parties & Claims:
The plaintiff, Pankaj Merchia, is a physician, scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur, proceeding pro se. Merchia sued United Healthcare Services, Inc., a Minnesota-based medical insurance company, for defamation and related claims. The core allegation is that United Healthcare falsely accused Merchia of healthcare fraud, which led to his indictment and arrest in Massachusetts, causing reputational and business harm in the District of Columbia and nationwide.
Underlying Events:
The alleged defamation occurred when United ...
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dG829BF6; see the video at https://lnkd.in/dyCggZMZ and at https://lnkd.in/d6a9QdDd.
ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 24
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Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter
Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah
Read the following Articles from the December 15, 2025 issue:
Read the full 19 page issue of ZIFL at ...