Jessica A. Ellel - Pittsburgh, PA
Attorney at Houston Harbaugh, P.C.
Health Care Lawyers in Pittsburgh, PA
Three Gateway Center 401 Liberty Ave. 22nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222 - 1005
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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24
Years
Experience
Pittsburgh Health Care Lawyer
Updated: 03/10/2026
Areas of Practice
- Health Care
Attorney Information
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".
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 teaching the course Legal Aspects of Health Care Compliance.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2008
Other Sources of Feedback About Jessica A. Ellel
Included on the 2008 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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University of Pittsburgh School of Law,
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
J.D.
Honors: Certification in Health Law, Topics Editor for The Pittsburgh Journal of Technology Law and Policy
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University of Pittsburgh School of Law,
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
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Non Legal Education
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Cornell University
B.S.
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Cornell University
Current Employment Position(s)
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Director
Past Positions
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Social Security Law Clerk
- Honorable Donald E. Ziegler and the Honorable Gary L. Lancaster, Law Clerk
Pro Bono Activities
- Vice-Chair of the Local Advisory Board for the Western Pennsylvania Division of the Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region
- Magee Women’s Research Institute and Foundation Board of Directors (Leadership On Board Participant, 2008-2010)
- Leadership Development Initiative XV, 2007-2008
Representative Cases
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Oversaw formation of small non-profit corporation and assisted in the entity obtaining recognition as a tax exempt entity by the IRS
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Drafted EMTALA policies and protocols for community hospital
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Assisted associate physician in purchasing medical practice from retiring senior physician
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Assisted physician practice in securing support from community hospital for recruitment arrangements for new physicians
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Negotiated an exclusive contract between physician practice and hospital
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Successfully defended client against HIPAA complaint filed with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights
Published Works
Articles
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First Settlement is a Wake-Up Call for Business Associates Working With Health Care Providers
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New CMS Payment Models Imminent
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Rules on Returning Medicare Overpayment Finalized
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Executive Action Amends HIPAA: Allows More Reporting to Criminal Background Check System
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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
- Audit Awareness: What you need to know if you are using EHR, Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin, 8.2014
- 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
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
Other Affiliations
- Allegheny County Bar Association's Women in the Law Division (Current Member and Former Executive Council Member)
- Health Law Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association (Current Council Member and Past Chair)
- National Health Lawyers Association (Member)
Photo
Contact
Three Gateway Center
401 Liberty Ave.
22nd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 - 1005
Phone: 412-288-2260
Fax: 412-281-4499
Email: Send a message
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https://www.hh-law.com/
- http://www.pitiptechblog.com (Pittsburgh IP and Tech Blog)
- https://hh-law.com/insights/ (Houston Harbaugh Law Blog)
Hours: M - F, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
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