​Bureau of Hearings and Appeals

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.

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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

Western Region	Northeastern Region
Pittsburgh RE  2 Gateway Center, Suite 1125  Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3594  Phone: 412-565-5213  Fax: 412-565-5514	Plymouth Address:  Federal Hearings and Appeals  117 W. Main Street  Plymouth, PA 18651  Phone: 1-800-664-7177  or 570-779-5122  Fax: 570-719-0306
Erie Address:  Rennaissance Center  1001 State Street, Suite 401  Erie, PA 16501  Phone: (814) 871-4433  Fax: (814) 878-5736
Central Region	Southeastern Region
Harrisburg Address:  2330 Vartan Way  Second Floor  Harrisburg, PA 17110-9721  Phone: (717) 783-3950  Fax (717) 772-2769	Philadelphia Address:  Philadelphia State Office Building  Commonwealth of PA  Department of Human Services  801 Market Street, Suite 5005  Philadelphia, PA 19107  Phone: (215) 560-2145  Fax: (215) 560-2378
Reading Address:  Reading State Office Building  625 Cherry Street, Room 440  Reading, PA 19602-9985  Phone: (610) 378-4081  Fax: (610) 378-4461

Administrative and Central Regions
Harrisburg Key Personnel

Name:	Title:	Phone Number:
Tracy L. Henry, Esq.	Bureau Director	(717) 783-3950
Vacant	Director's Secretary	(717) 783-3950
Charles Brace, Esq.	Administrative Regional Manager	(717) 783-3950
Melissa Posavec	Site Administrator (Administrative Region)	(717) 783-3950
Karen Lewis	Regional Manager (Central - Harrisburg/Reading)	(717) 783-3950
Ryan James	Site Administrator (Recipient Appeals)	(717) 783-3950
Jeanine Mesarick	Recipient Perfector	(717) 783-3950
Jim Zanotto	Recipient Scheduling	(717) 787-3950
Yvonne Shetzline	Administrative Officer (Personnel)	(717) 736-8942
Michael Gretsky	Program Administrator	(717) 783-3950
Laura Wolaver	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(717) 783-3950
Amy Montgomery	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(717) 783-3950
Matthew Lavelle	Formals Docketing Coordinator	(717) 736-8946
Jennifer Rexroth	Formals Docketing Coordinator	(717) 772-1595
Rita Sebastian	Formals Docketing Coordinator	(717) 705-2111
Elizabeth McNally	Perfector - Provider Appeals	(717) 783-3950

Reading Key Personnel

Name:	Title:	Phone Number:
Amy Montgomery	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(610) 378-4081
​Laura Wolaver	​Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	​(610) 378-4081
Sharon Stuck	Legal Assistant 1	(610) 378-4081

Southeastern Region
Philadelphia Key Personnel

Name:	Title:	Phone Number:
Karen Merth	Regional Manager	(215) 560-2145
Sharon Eskridge	Site Administrator (Recipient Appeals)	(215) 560-2145
Vivian Vivier-Vangas	Appeal Perfector	(215) 560-2145
Liam Doyle	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(215) 560-2145
Mykeal Ferrell	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(215) 560-2145

Western Region
Pittsburgh Key Personnel

Name:	Title:	Phone Number:
Louise Spears	Regional Manager	(412) 565-5213
Beth Buccigrossi	Site Administrator (Recipient Appeals)	(412) 565-5213
Jenny Walters	Appeal Perfector	(412) 565-5213
Sharon Mock	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(412) 565-5213
Michael Ruane	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(412) 565-5213

Erie Key Personnel

Name:	Title:	Phone Number:
Sharon Mock	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(412) 565-5213
Michael Ruane	Administrative Law Judge Supervisor	(412) 565-5213
Jennifer Spitznogle	Legal Assistant 1	(814) 871-4433