Kuriyan v. Health Care Services Corporation et al

Filing 364

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER by District Judge James O. Browning Related document(s): 327 Notice (Other). (arp)

Case 1:16-cv-01148-JB-KK Document 364 Filed 10/11/22 Page 1 of 5

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ex rel.
Jacob Kuriyan and STATE OF NEW MEXICO,
ex rel. Jacob Kuriyan,
Plaintiffs,
vs.

No. CIV 16-1148 JB/KK

HEALTH CARE SERVICES CORPORATION
doing business as BLUE CROSS & BLUE
SHIELD OF NEW MEXICO; MOLINA
HEALTHCARE OF NEW MEXICO, INC.;
PRESBYTERIAN HEALTH PLAN, INC.;
UNITEDHEALTHCARE OF NEW MEXICO,
INC. and HCSC INSURANCE SERVICES CO
doing business as BLUE CROSS & BLUE
SHIELD OF NEW MEXICO,
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
THIS MATTER comes before the Court on the letter from Paul R. Ritzma, Chief General
Counsel, New Mexico Human Services Department, to the Court (dated August 17, 2022), filed
August 17, 2022 (Doc. 327 (Ex Parte))(“Letter”). The Letter concerns: (i) an objection from the
June 2, 2022 deposition of Jason Sanchez, filed June 17, 2022 (Doc. 288-7)(“Sanchez Dep.”); (ii)
an objection from the June 1, 2022 deposition of Brent Earnest, filed June 17, 2022 (Doc. 2886)(“Earnest Dep.”); and (iii) Relator’s Notice of Questions for Brent Earnest and Jason Sanchez,
filed July 15, 2022 (Doc. 310)(“Proposed Questions”).
1.

Jason Sanchez. The fact that an attorney talks to a client is not privileged. Sanchez

will need to answer the question that was presented, i.e., “Did Mr. Ritzma say anything in the e-

Case 1:16-cv-01148-JB-KK Document 364 Filed 10/11/22 Page 2 of 5

mail that accompanied these documents?” See Sanchez Dep. at 3. He may give a one-word
answer.
2.

Brent Earnest. Earnest does not need to answer the question to which Mr. Ritzma

objects, i.e., “What about the deposition?” See Earnest Dep. at 4.
3.

Proposed Questions. Relator Jacob Kuriyan may ask question number five from

the list of Proposed Questions, but not the follow-up question or any other questions. See Proposed
Questions at 2. The deponents may answer question number five with a one-word answer.
IT IS ORDERED that: (i) Jason Sanchez will need to answer the question that was posed,
i.e., “Did Mr. Ritzma say anything in the e-mail that accompanied these documents?”; (ii) Brent
Earnest does not need to answer the question to which Mr. Ritzma objects, i.e., “What about the
depositions?”; (iii) Sanchez and Earnest will need to answer question five from Relator’s Notice
of Questions for Brent Earnest and Jason Sanchez, filed July 15, 2022 (Doc. 310); and (iv) no other
question may be asked or need be answered.

________________________________
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Counsel:
Bryan J. Davis
William Garth Gilchrist
Ellen A. Geske
Davis & Gilchrist, P.C.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
-- and --

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Robert L. Lieff
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
San Francisco, California
Attorneys for the Plaintiff
Benjamin E. Thomas
Christina Muscarella Gooch
Sutin, Thayer & Browne A Professional Corporation
Albuquerque, New Mexico
-- and -Edwin E. Brooks
McGuireWoods LLP
Chicago, Illinois
-- and -Steven Hamilton
Reed Smith LLP
Chicago, Illinois
Attorneys for Defendant Healthcare Services Corporation
Benjamin E. Thomas
Christina Muscarella Gooch
Sutin, Thayer & Browne A Professional Corporation
Albuquerque, New Mexico
-- and -Jarrad Lucian Wood
Reed Smith LLP
Los Angeles, California
-- and -Jason T. Mayer
Steven Hamilton
Reed Smith LLP
Chicago, Illinois
Attorneys for Defendant HCSC Insurance Services Co

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Case 1:16-cv-01148-JB-KK Document 364 Filed 10/11/22 Page 4 of 5

Gregory Marshall
Jeanne Y. Sohn
Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
-- and -Steven Paul Ragland
Julia L. Allen
Maya Perelman
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP
San Francisco, California
Attorneys for Defendant Molina Healthcare of New Mexico, Inc.
Charles J. Stevens
Peter Lyons George, Jr.
Winston Y. Chan
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
San Francisco, California
-- and -Charles K. Purcell
Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin & Robb, P.A.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Attorneys for Defendant Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc.
Matthew Eric Jackson
Peifer, Hanson, Mullins & Baker, P.A.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
-- and -Mark T. Calloway
Michael R. Hoernlein
Alston & Bird LLP
Charlotte, North Carolina
Attorneys for Defendant UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, Inc.

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Alexander M.M. Uballez
United States Attorney
Brian M. Boynton
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Ruth Fuess Keegan
Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office
Albuquerque, New Mexico
-- and -Jamie Ann Yavelberg
Patricia L. Hanower
Carol Lynn Wallack
David W. Tyler
Attorneys, Civil Division
United States Department of Justice, Civil Division
Washington, District of Columbia
Attorneys for the United States of America
Hector Balderas
New Mexico Attorney General
Zachary Shandler
Constance Tatham
Assistant Attorneys General
New Mexico Office of the Attorney General
Attorneys for the State of New Mexico

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