Senior Legal Counsel

AscellaHealth • Berwyn, PA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

AscellaHealth is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to serve as a senior individual contributor and strategic partner, providing comprehensive legal guidance on contracts and regulatory matters related to managed care and pharmacy benefit management services, health plan relationships, network agreements, and non-dispensing pharmacy activities. The role supports AscellaHealth’s payer strategy and promotes legal and regulatory compliance across payer-facing activities. The ideal candidate has expertise in health plan and managed care contracting and can balance practical business advice with rigorous legal analysis in a fast-moving environment.

The position is hybrid and based at AscellaHealth’s headquarters in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, with in-office attendance required three days per week. The Senior Legal Counsel advises payer business leaders, supports contract strategy and regulatory compliance, and provides other legal support as directed by the General Counsel.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in good standing.
• At least 7 years of legal experience, focused on healthcare industry contracts, either at a law firm or in-house.
• Extensive experience negotiating and drafting contracts.
• Working knowledge of CMS coverage and reimbursement policies, including Medicare Parts B and D and Medicaid managed care.
• Familiarity with HIPAA, HITECH, and applicable privacy and security obligations in payer contexts.
• Relentless attention to detail and the ability to be a creative self-starter and team player.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and effectively in a team setting.
• Problem-solving mindset, including the ability to de-escalate issues and find solutions quickly and effectively.
• Strong business skills and the ability to build solid working relationships with teammates, business leaders, and stakeholders.
• Transparent and persuasive communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to thrive amid constantly changing and potentially competing priorities.
• Ability to think and act independently, formulate and support new ideas, and champion initiatives within and beyond the scope of assigned responsibilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Nice To Haves

• Licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• In-house healthcare legal support experience.
• Prior experience in specialty pharmacy, PBM, or specialty healthcare services.
• Experience with laws affecting PBMs and PBM service providers.
• Curiosity, commitment to continuous learning, and enthusiasm for adopting new technologies that affect business, markets, and user experiences.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a high volume of contracts, including master services agreements, pharmacy network agreements, rebate services agreements, confidentiality agreements, ancillary services agreements, and vendor contracts.
• Advise the Payer business unit on contract strategy, risk allocation, reimbursement terms, and legal provisions such as exclusivity, termination rights, and indemnification.
• Maintain and manage standard contract templates and playbooks, updating them as regulatory requirements or business needs evolve.
• Monitor and interpret federal and state healthcare regulatory developments affecting the payer market, including rules affecting PBMs and PBM service providers, anti-steering laws, rebate and pricing laws, CMS rules, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid laws, and state insurance regulations and requirements.
• Support the development and maintenance of compliance policies and programs related to payer interactions.
• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to senior leaders in the Payer business unit, proactively identifying legal risks and recommending solutions aligned with business objectives.
• Collaborate with Finance, IT members of the Payer business unit, and members of the non-dispensing pharmacy.
• Assist with due diligence and legal integration activities for mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures as directed by the General Counsel.
• Provide other legal support as directed by the General Counsel.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree