Hearings, Appeals Council Review, and Judicial Review Procedures

20 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart C
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

20 C.F.R. § 422.201 Material included in this subpart.

This subpart describes in general the procedures relating to hearings, review by the Appeals Council of the hearing decision or dismissal, and court review in cases decided under the procedures in parts 404, 408, 410, and 416 of this chapter. It also describes the procedures for requesting a hearing or Appeals Council review, and for instituting a civil action for court review of cases decided under these parts. For detailed provisions relating to hearings, review by the Appeals Council, and court review, see the following references as appropriate to the matter involved: (a) Title II of the Act, §§ 404.929 through 404.983 of this chapter; (b) Title VIII of the Act, §§ 408.1040 through 408.1060 of this chapter; (c) Title XVI of the Act, §§ 416.1429 through 416.1483 of this chapter; (d) Part B of title IV of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 as amended, §§ 410.630 through 410.670.

20 C.F.R. § 422.203 Hearings.

(a) Right to request a hearing. (1) After a reconsidered or a revised determination (i) of a claim for benefits or any other right under title II of the Social Security Act; or (ii) of eligibility or amount of benefits or any other matter under title XVI of the Act, except where an initial or reconsidered determination involving an adverse action is revised, after such revised determination has been reconsidered; or (iii) as to entitlement under part A or part B of title XVIII of the Act, or as to the amount of benefits under part A of such title XVIII (where the amount in controversy is $100 or more); or of health services to be provided by a health maintenance organization without additional costs (where the amount in controversy is $100 or more); or as to the amount of benefits under part B of title XVIII (where the amount in controversy is $500 or more); or as to a determination by a peer review organization (PRO) under title XI (where the amount in controversy is $200 or more); or as to certain determinations made under section 1154, 1842(1), 1866(f)(2), or 1879 of the Act; any party to such a determination may, pursuant to the applicable section of the Act, file a written request for a hearing on the determination. After a reconsidered determination of a claim for benefits under part B of title IV (Black Lung benefits) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 921 through 925), a party to the determination may file a written request for hearing on the determination. (2) After (i) a reconsidered or revised determination that an institution, facility, agency, or clinic does not qualify as a provider of services, or (ii) a determination terminating an agreement with a provider of services, such institution, facility, agency, or clinic may, pursuant to section 1866 of the Act, file a written request for a hearing on the determination. (3) After (i) a reconsidered or revised determination that an independent laboratory, supplier of portable X-ray services, or end-stage renal disease treatment facility or other person does not meet the conditions for coverage of its services or (ii) a determination that it no longer meets such conditions has been made, such laboratory, supplier, treatment facility may, under 42 CFR 498.40 of this chapter, file a written request for a hearing on the determination. (For hearing rights of independent laboratories, suppliers of portable X-ray services, and end-stage renal disease treatment facilities and other person see 42 CFR 498.5.) (b) Request for a hearing. (1) A request for a hearing under paragraph (a) of this section may be made using the form(s) we designate for this purpose, or by any other writing requesting a hearing. The request shall be filed either electronically in the manner we prescribe or at an office of the Social Security Administration, usually a district office or a branch office, or at the Veterans' Administration Regional Office in the Philippines (except in title XVI cases), or at a hearing office of the Office of Hearings Operations, or with the Appeals Council. A qualified railroad retirement beneficiary may choose to file a request for a hearing under part A of title XVIII with the Railroad Retirement Board. (2) Unless an extension of time has been granted for good cause shown, a request for a hearing must be filed within 60 days after the receipt of the notice of the reconsidered or revised determination, or after an initial determination described in 42 CFR 498.3(b) and (c) (see §§ 404.933, 410.631, and 416.1433 of this chapter and 42 CFR 405.722, 498.40, and 417.260.) (c) Hearing decision or other action. Generally, the administrative law judge, or an administrative appeals judge under § 404.956 or § 416.1456 of this chapter, will either decide the case after hearing (unless hearing is waived) or, if appropriate, dismiss the request for a hearing. With respect to a hearing on a determination under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the administrative law judge may certify the case with a recommended decision to the Appeals Council for decision. The administrative law judge, or an attorney advisor under § 404.942 or § 416.1442 of this chapter, or an administrative appeals judge under § 404.956 or § 416.1456 of this chapter, must base the hearing decision on the preponderance of the evidence offered at the hearing or otherwise included in the record.

20 C.F.R. § 422.205 Proceedings before the Appeals Council.

(a) Administrative Appeals Judge hearing decisions. Administrative Appeals Judge decisions and dismissals issued on hearing requests removed under §§ 404.956 and 416.1456 of this chapter and decisions and dismissals described in § 422.203(c) require the signature of one Administrative Appeals Judge. Requests for review of hearing decisions issued by an Administrative Appeals Judge may be filed pursuant to §§ 404.968 and 416.1468 of this chapter and paragraph (b) of this section. (b) Appeals Council review. Any party to a hearing decision or dismissal may request a review of such action by the Appeals Council. This request may be made on Form HA-520, Request for Review of Hearing Decision/Order, or by any other writing specifically requesting review. Form HA-520 may be obtained from any Social Security district office or branch office, or at any other office where a request for a hearing may be filed. (For time and place of filing, see §§ 404.968 and 416.1468 of this chapter.) (c) Review of a hearing decision, dismissal, or denial. The denial of a request for review of a hearing decision concerning a determination under § 422.203(a)(1) shall be by such appeals officer or appeals officers or by such member or members of the Appeals Council as may be designated in the manner prescribed by the Chair or Deputy Chair. The denial of a request for review of a hearing dismissal, the dismissal of a request for review, the denial of a request for review of a hearing decision whenever such hearing decision after such denial would not be subject to judicial review as explained in § 422.210(a), or the refusal of a request to reopen a hearing or Appeals Council decision concerning a determination under § 422.203(a)(1) shall be by such member or members of the Appeals Council as may be designated in the manner prescribed by the Chair or Deputy Chair. (d) Appeals Council review panel. Whenever the Appeals Council reviews a hearing decision under §§ 404.967, 404.969, 416.1467, or 416.1469 of this chapter and the claimant does not appear personally or through representation before the Appeals Council to present oral argument, such review will be conducted by a panel of not less than two members of the Appeals Council designated in the manner prescribed by the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Appeals Council. In the event of disagreement between a panel composed of only two members, the Chair or Deputy Chair, or his or her delegate, who must be a member of the Appeals Council, shall participate as a third member of the panel. When the claimant appears in person or through representation before the Appeals Council in the location designated by the Appeals Council, the review will be conducted by a panel of not less than three members of the Appeals Council designated in the manner prescribed by the Chair or Deputy Chair. Concurrence of a majority of a panel shall constitute the decision of the Appeals Council unless the case is considered as provided under paragraph (e) of this section. (e) Appeals Council meetings. On call of the Chair, the Appeals Council may meet en banc or a representative body of Appeals Council members may be convened to consider any case arising under paragraph (c) or (d) of this section. Such representative body shall be comprised of a panel of not less than five members designated by the Chair as deemed appropriate for the matter to be considered. The Chair or Deputy Chair shall preside, or in his or her absence, the Chair shall designate a member of the Appeals Council to preside. A majority vote of the designated panel, or of the members present and voting, shall constitute the decision of the Appeals Council. (f) Temporary assignments of ALJs. The Chair may designate an administrative law judge to serve as a member of the Appeals Council for temporary assignments. An administrative law judge shall not be designated to serve as a member on any panel where such panel is conducting review on a case in which such individual has been previously involved.

20 C.F.R. § 422.210 Judicial review.

(a) General. A claimant may obtain judicial review of a decision by an administrative law judge or administrative appeals judge if the Appeals Council has denied the claimant's request for review, or of a decision by the Appeals Council when that is the final decision of the Commissioner. A claimant may also obtain judicial review of a reconsidered determination, or of a decision of an administrative law judge or an administrative appeals judge, where, under the expedited appeals procedure, further administrative review is waived by agreement under § 404.926 or § 416.1426 of this chapter or as appropriate. There are no amount-in-controversy limitations on these rights of appeal. (b) Court in which to institute civil action. Any civil action described in paragraph (a) of this section must be instituted in the district court of the United States for the judicial district in which the claimant resides or where such individual or institution or agency has his principal place of business. If the individual does not reside within any such judicial district, or if such individual or institution or agency does not have his principal place of business within any such judicial district, the civil action must be instituted in the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia. (c) Time for instituting civil action. Any civil action described in paragraph (a) of this section must be instituted within 60 days after the Appeals Council's notice of denial of request for review of the administrative law judge's decision or notice of the decision by the Appeals Council is received by the individual, institution, or agency, except that this time may be extended by the Appeals Council upon a showing of good cause. For purposes of this section, the date of receipt of notice of denial of request for review of the presiding officer's decision or notice of the decision by the Appeals Council shall be presumed to be 5 days after the date of such notice, unless there is a reasonable showing to the contrary. Where pursuant to the expedited appeals procedures an agreement has been entered into under 42 CFR 405.718c, a civil action under section 205(g) of the Act must be commenced within 60 days from the date of the signing of such agreement by, or on behalf of, the Commissioner, except where the time described in the first sentence of this paragraph (c) has been extended by the Commissioner upon a showing of good cause. Where pursuant to the expedited appeals procedures an agreement has been entered into under § 404.926, § 410.629d, or § 416.1426 of this chapter, a civil action under section 205(g) of the Act must be commenced within 60 days after the date the individual receives notice (a signed copy of the agreement will be mailed to the individual and will constitute notice) of the signing of such agreement by, or on behalf of, the Commissioner, except where the time described in this paragraph (c) has been extended by the Commissioner upon a showing of good cause. (d) Proper defendant. Where any civil action described in paragraph (a) of this section is instituted, the person holding the Office of the Commissioner shall, in his official capacity, be the proper defendant. Any such civil action properly instituted shall survive notwithstanding any change of the person holding the Office of the Commissioner or any vacancy in such office. If the complaint is erroneously filed against the United States or against any agency, officer, or employee of the United States other than the Commissioner, the plaintiff will be notified that he has named an incorrect defendant and will be granted 60 days from the date of receipt of such notice in which to commence the action against the correct defendant, the Commissioner. (e) Appeals Council review panel after Federal court remand. When the Appeals Council holds a hearing under § 404.983 or § 416.1483 of this chapter, such hearing will be conducted and a decision will be issued by a panel of not less than two members of the Appeals Council designated in the manner prescribed by the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Appeals Council. When the Appeals Council issues a decision under §§ 404.983 and 416.1483 of this chapter without holding a hearing, a decision will be issued by a panel of not less than two members of the Council designated in the same manner prescribed by the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Council. In the event of disagreement between a panel composed of only two members, the Chair or Deputy Chair, or his or her delegate, who must be a member of the Council, shall participate as a third member of the panel.

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