Jessica A. Ellel

Overview

Chair of Houston Harbaugh’s Health Law Practice, Jessica works almost exclusively with health care entities and health practitioners. She has extensive experience with:

Drafting and negotiating physician employment agreements from both the physician and employer perspectives
Negotiating contracts between physicians and hospitals
Preparing purchase agreements to govern the sale of medical practices
Advising on corporate governance issues, from practice formation to dissolution
Developing comprehensive compliance plans for physician practices, hospitals, third-party billing administrators, and other health care and related entities
Organizing strategies for compliance with fraud and abuse laws
Addressing HIPAA compliance

Jessica is especially well-versed in HIPAA compliance and authors numerous client updates and bulletins on the subject. She conducts on-site and remote HIPAA training and also maintains Houston Harbaugh’s HIPAA compliance manual, ” Federal HIPAA Privacy Standards Simplified: A Comprehensive Tool-Kit”.

Jessica is named the Best Lawyers® 2027 Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh. This distinguished honor is awarded to only one lawyer in each practice area and geographic region, based on the highest level of peer review feedback. She has consistently been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America® since 2021.

Experience

As an outgrowth of her work with non-profit health care entities, Jessica also helps non-profit organizations and foundations with their corporate affairs, such as obtaining and maintaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and handling regulatory compliance matters. Her experience in the non-profit industry includes serving as counsel during the merger of several multi-state non-profits into one regional entity which required communication and information sharing with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office to obtain approval for the transaction.

Jessica frequently publishes articles and presents on issues relating to physician employment agreements, the Affordable Care Act, and other compliance issues. She has published articles in the Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin and in the Physicians News Digest.

Jessica is also an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law currently teaching the course Health Care Business Transactions, and previously taught Legal Aspects of Health Care Compliance.

Serve as outside general counsel to physician practices throughout the region
Successfully defended client against HIPAA complaint filed with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights
Negotiates exclusive contracts between physician practices and hospitals
Assists medical practices with succession planning and cultivating strategies for maintaining an independent practice
Assisted physician practice in securing support from a community hospital for recruitment arrangements for new physicians
Drafted EMTALA policies and protocols for a community hospital
Oversaw formation of a small non-profit corporation and assisted in the entity obtaining recognition as a tax-exempt entity by the IRS

Former Council Member and Past Chair of Health Law Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association
Former Member Executive Council Member Allegheny County Bar Association’s Women in the Law Division
Member American Health Lawyers Association

Education & Credentials

Education

University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., Certificate of Health Law, Topics Editor for The Pittsburgh Journal of Technology Law and Policy
Cornell University, B.S.

Bar Admissions

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Recognition

First Settlement is a Wake-Up Call for Business Associates Working With Health Care Providers
New CMS Payment Models Imminent
Rules on Returning Medicare Overpayment Finalized
Executive Action Amends HIPAA: Allows More Reporting to Criminal Background Check System
New Year, New Delays for ACA Reporting Requirements
New DOJ Compliance Counsel Underscores Need for Compliance Plans
Security Risk Analysis is Key to Passing Healthcare Audits
New HIPAA Rule Bring Changes to Breach Notification Rules – Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News | 3.2013
Incorporating hospitalists into your practice – Physician News Digest | 7.13.08
Big Changes Coming for ASC Reimbursement – Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin | 2.2008
Pennsylvania Act 169: What Every Physician Needs to Know – Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin | 10.2007

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2008
Best Lawyers in America® 2021-2027
Best Lawyers in America® 2027 Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh

Jessica is an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she teaches Health Care Business Transactions and previously taught Legal Aspects of Health Care Compliance. In addition, Jessica regularly presents on Physician Employment Agreements and HIPAA compliance matters.