Thomas Barker has been a partner at Foley Hoag since March of 2009. Tom focuses his practice on complex federal and state health care legal and regulatory matters with a special expertise in Medicare and Medicaid law including coverage, reimbursement, and regulatory oversight. In May of 2019, he was appointed as a commissioner of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), an advisory body that provides policy advice to Congress and the states on the Medicaid and CHIP programs. He is one of the authors of the firm’s Medicaid & the Law blog, www.medicaidandthelaw.com, which highlights and explains current legal and policy issues in the Medicaid program.

Prior to joining the firm, he was acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and General Counsel of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

In addition to his work as a health care attorney Mr. Barker has developed expertise in representing refugees from North Korea and non-government organizations serving North Korean defectors living in the United States and the Republic of Korea. He provides counsel and advice to these organizations, as well as legal advice and immigration counsel to individual North Korean defectors. He has represented over 35 North Korean refugees in becoming United States citizens, obtaining asylum, or in obtaining permanent residence in the United States (green cards). His practice includes representing North Korean refugees before The Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and United States Immigration Court.