. The hearing officer refers to this income as Social Security Disability Benefits.

. See 55 Pa.Code § 140.201.

. The hearing officer is the ultimate fact-finder in medical assistance cases. Goldstein v. Department of Public Welfare, — Pa.Commonwealth Ct. -, 654 A.2d 295 (1995).

. Our scope of review of a final order by DPW is limited to determining whether an error of law has been committed, whether the order is supported by substantial evidence or whether constitutional rights have been violated. Goldstein.

. The "Pickle Amendment" is entitled “Preservation of Medicaid Eligibility for Individuals Who Cease To Be Eligible for Supplemental Security Income Benefits on Account of Cost-of-Living Increases in Social Security Benefits.”

. The "Pickle Amendment” to the Social Security Act is not recorded in the text of the U.S.C. reporter; however, it is made part of 42 U.S.C. § 1396a through a note following the text and is cited by the federal courts as 42 U.S.C. § 1396a note. The "Pickle Amendment” provides:

In addition to other requirements imposed by law as a condition for the approval of any State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act, there is hereby imposed the requirement (and each such State plan shall be deemed to require) that medical assistance under such plan shall be provided to any individual, for any month after June 1977 for which such individual is entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under title II of such Act but is not eligible for benefits under title XVI of such Act, in like manner and subject to the same terms and conditions as are applicable under such State plan in the case of individuals who are eligible for and receiving benefits under such title XVI for such month, if for such month such individual would be (or could become) eligible for benefits under such title XVI except for amounts of income received by such individual and his spouse (if any) which are attributable to increases in the level of monthly insurance benefits payable under title II of such Act which have occurred pursuant to section 215(i) of such Act, in the case of such individual, since the last month after April 1977 for which such individual was both eligible for (and received) benefits under such title XVI and was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under such title II, and, in the case of such individual’s spouse (if any), since the last such month for which such spouse was both eligible for (and received) benefits under such title XVI and was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under such title II. Solely for purposes of this section, payments of the type described in section 1616(a) of the Social Security Act or of the type described in section 212(a) of Public Law 93-66 shall be deemed to be benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act.

*875We note that Cianela never addressed her entitlement to the "Pickle Amendment’s” protection in front of the hearing officer. Cianela, however, asserts that because the hearing officer is the ultimate fact-finder here, the hearing officer was responsible for researching and finding the facts, including whether she was eligible for "Pickle Amendment” protection. She also claims that DPW did not properly investigate her MA eligibility and that the question of SSI eligibility in relation to Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) to her OASDI benefits should have been addressed by the hearing office because of Cianela’s prior receipt of SSI. Cianela, however, misunderstands her burden here. Although the hearing officer is the ultimate fact-finder, it is Ciane-la's burden, not the hearing officer’s duty, to find and present evidence at the hearing in order to prove her entitlement to MA benefits under Healthy Horizons. E.g., Forbes Metropolitan Health System v. Department of Public Welfare, 125 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 571, 558 A.2d 159 (1989); Stanley v. Department of Public Welfare, 112 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 157, 535 A.2d 674 (1987); Wengrzyn v. Cohen, 92 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 154, 498 A.2d 61 (1985). Moreover, although it may be true that DPW failed to discover her dual receipt of SSI and OASDI payments, Cianela had the burden of proving such dual receipt at the hearing. As the record indicates, she failed to satisfy that burden and without such evidence, the hearing officer has no obligation to consider the "Pickle Amendment” in his decision.

. The amounts received by recipients under OAS-DI are increased annually by COLAs. SSI, on the other hand, is a need-based program providing financial assistance to certain eligible aged, blind and disabled persons whose income and resources are below prescribed minimum levels. Lynch; Ciampa v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 687 F.2d 518 (1st Cir. 1982).

. In Ciampa, the court held that the “Pickle Amendment” covers not only those individuals who would lose benefits due to a COLA, but also those persons who would qualify for the benefits "but for” previous COLA increases to their OAS-DI payments. Here, however, the record does *876not indicate that Cianela’s loss of SSI was attributable to any such COLA increase.