Across America, insurers have turned self-help remedies into a vicious and devastating weapon. They wield denials, “claw backs” and consumer notifications not to seek truth, but to bludgeon smaller medical providers and silence opposition through financial exhaustion.
And most tragically, it works because few have the resources to fight back.

But on October 21, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Hillsborough County, Florida, one judge refused to play along. The Honorable Paul L. Huey issued a blistering order in Complete Care Centers, LLC v. State Farm that stands as one of the most decisive rebukes ever written against insurer misconduct.

For years, insurers like State Farm have acted as both judge and jury, unilaterally halting payments, branding clinics as fraudulent, and hiding behind confidentiality agreements that prevent victims from warning others. Judge Huey broke that silence. 

The Abuse: When “Self-Help” Becomes Self-Serving

The Judge began by exposing the insurer’s unlawful power grab:

“State Farm admits that on April 3, 2025, without the assistance of any court, it essentially enjoined Complete Care from filing any PIP claims… Its actions are costing Complete Care over $600,000 monthly… crippling Complete Care’s business.”

This was no technical billing dispute. It was a corporate injunction without a court order, in effect an act of raw economic punishment. As Judge Huey stated:

“State Farm obviously acted deliberately in the hope that it could convince a judge like me that the only power I have is to maintain the status quo, which is to protect State Farm’s self-imposed mandatory injunction. That is simply wrong, and this Court will not join in such folly.”

The Manufactured Fraud Narrative

When challenged, State Farm wrapped itself in the moral flag of “fighting fraud.” Judge Huey’s response? Devastating:

State Farm says, “we are required by law to root out the fraud and these Complete Care folks are criminal fraudsters of the highest order!’”

After two full days of testimony, what “fraud” was uncovered?

“Did they double or triple bill? No. Did they charge the wrong rates? No. Did they bill for services never rendered? No. Did they bill for services provided by unlicensed professionals? No.”

The insurer’s entire case boiled down to one accusation:

“The delayed collecting of deductibles and co-insurance from their patients.”

To which the Judge replied with biting sarcasm:

“Do scenes of people screaming and running from Godzilla flood your mind at this point? Really, you ask, ‘that’s all?’ Truly, ‘that’s all’”

The Law, Not the Spin

State Farm’s justification rested on §817.234(7)(a), Florida Statutes, a law about waiving copays, not delaying them. Judge Huey refused to twist the language to fit corporate narrative:

“It is self-evident that the term ‘delay’ is not in §817.234(7)(a). As we all know, the judge must stick to the words of the statute. Surely if the legislature had wanted to address the ‘timing’ of the ‘total’ collection it could have by now. That it has not is telling.”

In fact, Complete Care was scrupulous in its collections as the evidence showed:

“Complete Care collects 86% of all copayments and deductibles. … Because Complete Care collects 86% of all copayments and deductibles, Complete Care has satisfied the ‘good faith’ requirement. Simply, that ends the inquiry.”

Insurer as Prosecutor: The “Attorney General of the Insurance Universe”

Judge Huey dismantled the insurer’s attempt to act as its own law enforcement agency:

“State Farm argues that it has a holy duty to ferret out fraud at all costs as if it were the Attorney General of the Insurance Universe. Well, just like the real Florida Attorney General, State Farm needs probable cause before it can trample citizens’ rights.”

The Court found no criminal investigation, no indictment, no proof of fraud—only a fabricated timeline designed to justify a business tactic. As the Judge observed:

“Fabricating an ‘arbitrary’ time frame, i.e., what is a sufficient delay, is not something ‘unvague’ enough to support a prosecution.”

The Harm: Real Patients, Real Damage

Judge Huey recognized what many courts ignore—the human cost. When insurers weaponize letters and denials, they destroy trust between doctors and patients:

“State Farm is demanding with its right hand that Complete Care must collect copays and deductibles ASAP from its patients while, at the same time, its left hand is telling patients not to pay those charges. By definition, such shenanigans have no remedy other than a mandatory injunction.”

He went further:

“The Breach Letter advises Complete Care patients that State Farm is suing his or her doctor and provides the case number… If the patient looks up the lawsuit—it is public information—he or she will see that State Farm has called the doctor and Complete Care a ‘fraud.’ Obviously, this interference with the patient/doctor relationship constitutes irreparable harm.”

This wasn’t a billing issue. It was a reputation assassination.

The Judge’s Injunction: Justice Restored

In a rare move, the Court didn’t just condemn; it commanded. The ruling required immediate and sweeping relief:

“State Farm shall immediately cease sending Breach Letters…
State Farm shall within 20 days send a letter to every Complete Care patient… advising that it has retracted any and all prior letters…and that it will be processing the patients’ claims…
State Farm shall process PIP claims submitted by Complete Care since April 1, 2025, in accordance with Florida law…
State Farm shall specifically assign 3 employees to handle all PIP claims from Complete Care while this litigation is pending.”

And with unmistakable authority, the Judge warned:

“It is critical for State Farm to follow this mandate because in the event that accusations are made that State Farm is violating this injunction, it will be expedient to just depose those employees to find out what is truly happening.”

The Symbolism: Law Above Leverage

The brilliance of Judge Huey’s order lies not just in its content, but in its courage. He restored the most basic premise of American law: that no company, however powerful, may act as judge, jury, and executioner.

When calculating damages, he rejected the insurer’s exaggerated victimhood with clarity and logic:

“Because State Farm instigated this battle, it cannot seriously claim that further litigating will cost it attorneys’ fees and costs. It can save those simply by dismissing its case.”

And with a modest $25,000 bond, he underscored how hollow State Farm’s claims of harm truly were:

“Complete Care not collecting copayments and deductibles cannot damage State Farm. Certainly, State Farm cannot be damaged by any court taking away its misperceived right to be Attorney General of the PIP Insurance Universe.”

The Bigger Picture: A Call for National Action

This is more than a Florida case. It is a microcosm of national insurer abuse, a pattern of intimidation that spans states and specialties.

Every physician who treats patients under liens and letters of protection or assignment of benefits has felt the chill of insurer retaliation: arbitrary audits, mass denials, and secret settlements.

The time has come for others to join Judge Huey’s stand.

State Attorneys General, Insurance Commissioners, and Legislators across America should launch investigations into these “self-help” tactics, especially claw backs and mass denials executed without evidence or oversight especially as the insurers seek to mislead their insureds about the actions of their physicians.

They are called upon to:

• Demand proof before insurers label a provider “fraudulent.”
• Enjoin abusive practices through temporary restraining orders and injunctions.
• Enforce transparency in what insurers are doing, stopping them from hiding behind confidentiality agreements that shield misconduct.

The Legacy: The Courtroom as a Beacon

Judge Huey’s closing words will echo far beyond Hillsborough County and the State of Florida:

“If this Court refused to grant the injunction for Complete Care in light of the overwhelming evidence and law in its favor, it would be, in essence, granting State Farm a mandatory injunction without State Farm satisfying any legal requirements to obtain one.”

That sentence reminds us that justice cannot coexist with fear, that silence in the face of systemic abuse is complicity, and that if the Court’s don’t stand up against insurers who can afford to fight them?

Conclusion: Bravo, Judge Huey

In a system too often dominated by money over merit, one judge dared to draw a line in the sand. Judge Paul L. Huey’s order was not just a win for Complete Care—it was a declaration of judicial independence and a defense of every clinic, doctor, and patient bullied by corporate might:

“This injunction shall remain in place until further order of the Court.”

May that spirit remain in place, too…until the courts, government, and medical community together say, as Judge Huey did with courage and clarity:

“No more.”

Bravo, Judge Huey. May your example be multiplied across this nation.