Elizabeth (Ellie) Tucker is dedicated to providing effective, efficient and innovative legal health care solutions. Her prior training and work experience as a social worker informs her practice and effective advocacy for clients when representing them and advising them on regulatory and operational issues. Ellie is known by both clients and colleagues alike for figuring out solutions.

Ellie focuses her practice on operational and regulatory health care law. She represents an array of health care provider types, including most commonly senior housing, assisted living, skilled nursing, home care, home health, hospice and other post-acute care providers. Ellie also has experience advising many other health care provider types such as hospitals, ambulance services, pharmacies, behavioral health providers and physician practices.

For any type of health care client, Ellie has the experience and insight to advising on day-to-day operational matters as well as representing them in litigation matters or at state and federal levels against regulatory agencies in the administrative appeal settings. In particular, with her work in the post-acute care space, Ellie has significant experience appealing certification surveys for health care providers, taking them from informal dispute resolution through hearing and appeal. Her experience straddling operational matters and advocating for clients in regulatory enforcement and litigation matters provides a unique insight into how to structure operational matters and advise on potential enforcement risks by state and federal enforcement agencies—or private plaintiffs. 

Some of the legal matters Ellie regularly advises clients on include, but are not limited to:

  • State Health Care Facility Licensure
  • Medicare and Medicaid enrollment and certification
  • Scope of practice rules for practitioners, including supervision arrangements for mid-level practitioners
  • Contract drafting, negotiation and disputes
  • Fair Housing Act
  • Billing and reimbursement
  • Anti-kickback and Stark Laws compliance

Education

  • Saint Louis University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2017)
    • Health Law, Dean's list; Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society; Managing Editor of Journal of Health Law and Policy
  • Washington University in St. Louis (M.S.W., 2013)
    • Healthcare and Management
  • Washington University in St. Louis (B.A., 2009)
    • Dean's List; Lambda Alpha Honor Society; Danforth Scholar

Bar Admission

  • Missouri, 2017
  • Illinois, 2018
  • California, 2022

Recognition

  • Named one of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in Health Care Law, 2026
  • Academic Excellence Awards in Legal Writing II, Client Counseling, Legal Profession, FDA Law and Policy, and Evidence
  • Best Student Comment Award, 2016
  • Excellence in Journals Award, 2017
Publications
All Publications
CMS Myth vs. Fact: What Hospice and Home Health Providers Need to Know about the New Medicare Enrollment Moratoria
Key Takeaways CMS imposed nationwide six-month moratoria effective May 13, 2026, barring new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health agencies as part of a broader program integrity initiative. The restrictions extend beyond new providers to certain ownership changes, branch additions and other expansion activity requiring initial enrollment applications. The moratoria create substantial operational and transactional risk for hospice and home health providers because routine business changes may now trigger prohibited enrollment activity. CMS also signaled heightened scrutiny of ownership structures, relocations and operational growth tied to alleged fraud and abuse concerns. Providers should carefully evaluate pending transactions, expansion plans and enrollment updates to determine whether they could trigger new Medicare enrollment activity during the moratoria period. Organizations also should monitor evolving state
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CMS Issues a Proposed Rule Impacting Quality Reporting, Care Compare and MDS Requirements for Skilled Nursing Facilities
Key Takeaways: CMS has proposed FY 2027 SNF PPS updates, including a 2.4% payment increase and changes to quality reporting and data submission. The proposal also removes certain COVID-19 measures and updates Care Compare reporting. The proposed changes would expand reporting obligations and accelerate submission timelines for skilled nursing facilities, potentially increasing administrative burden and compliance risk. Providers should assess the impact on operations and reporting processes and consider submitting comments before the June 1, 2026 deadline. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule updating the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for FY 2027. The proposed rule signals CMS’ continued shift toward tighter reporting timelines, broader data collection and reduced reliance on pandemic-era quality measures
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