​Bureau of Hearings and Appeals

​Bureau of Hearings and Appeals Overview

The Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA) is the Department of Human Services (DHS) entity charged with conducting administrative hearings and timely adjudicating appeals filed in accordance with state and federal regulations. BHA's jurisdiction is vast. It covers nearly 280 different areas, including the denial, suspension, termination, or reduction of any DHS-issued benefit (cash assistance; Medical Assistance; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — formerly known as food stamps; social services; durable equipment; etc.).

BHA is also responsible for rendering legally sound adjudications for disputes regarding child abuse expunction, day care licensure, Medical Assistance provider enrollment, medical provider audit findings, injured DHS employees (Act 534 benefits), Department of Aging actions, Office of State Inspector General Administrative Disqualification Hearings, and nursing home intervention requests, among numerous other issues.

Jurisdiction

The Bureau of Hearings and Appeals has the authority delegated by the Secretary of Human Services to hear and adjudicate over 280 jurisdictional issues for the Department of Human Services. The bureau is also designated to hear and adjudicate issues for the Department of Aging under an interagency agreement. The issues under BHA's jurisdiction include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of cash assistance, Medical Assistance, or SNAP benefits.
• Denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of direct social services (e.g. day care, legal services, etc.).
• Denial of PACE prescription benefits by the Department of Aging.
• Denial, reduction, or termination of Department of Aging adult day care services.
• Appropriate level of care for nursing home residents.
• Denial, suspension, or termination of providers from participation in the Medical Assistance program.
• Liability of payment for persons who are either receiving in-patient or out-patient care in mental health facilities.
• Denial, suspension, or termination of licensure for personal care boarding home facilities or day care facilities.
• Employee injury claims under Act 534.
• Establishment of family service plans for persons receiving services through the local children and youth agency.
• Adoption subsidy cases and foster care benefit cases.
• Disputes regarding the maintenance of the permanent record of founded or indicated child abuse in the central state registry.
• Nursing rate reimbursement (either the establishment of per diem rates or audit resolution issues).
• In-patient utilization review.
• Provisions of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) cash payments.
• Disputes regarding reports of elder abuse to the Department of Aging.

All hearings regarding recipient related appeals are conducted in accordance with the regulations found at Title 55 Pa. Code, Chapter 275 (and 6 Pa. Code, Chapter 3 for Department of Aging appeals). Recipient claims should be filed with the program office. Hearings for non-recipient related appeals are conducted in accordance with Title 1 Pa. Code Chapters 31, 33 and 35, and Medical Provider appeals are conducted under Title 55 Pa. Code Chapter 41.

Contact Information & Organization

BHA is comprised of four regional offices: Administrative and Central in Harrisburg, Eastern in Philadelphia and Western in Pittsburgh, as well as three field offices in Erie, Reading, and Plymouth. The bureau director, administrative regional manager, program administrator, and other key personnel are situated in Harrisburg. Regional managers head the regional offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

BHA Office Locations

BHA Headquarters
2330 Vartan Way, Second Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9721
Phone: (717) 783-3950
Fax: (717) 772-2769 or (717) 346-1959

BHA Regional Offices