Terrebonne Homecare, Inc. v. SMA Health Plan, Inc.

The threshold issue in this appeal is whether the artful pleading doctrine maybe invoked to assert federal jurisdiction over a complaint alleging state antitrust law claims. Because plaintiff alleged state law claims in a field that is not completely preempted by federal law, the artful pleading doctrine does not apply. The district court therefore lacked subject matter jurisdiction, and its orders múst be vacated and the case remanded to state court.

I

Appellant, Terrebonne Homecare, Inc. (“THI”), a home health care agency, sued Terrebonne General Medical Center in Louisiana state court…