In January, the Trump Administration had officially been elected to office. The Social Security Administration (SSA) underwent some changes during the first days under the new administration, with several of these changes being driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Changes at the Social Security Administration
Each month, millions upon millions of Americans, such as retirees or persons living with disabilities, receive benefit checks from the SSA. Since January, the agency has had several changes enacted to it, and a significant number of these changes have been the result of DOGE which has been working across the federal government with the goal of slashing federal spending.
Regarding these sweeping changes, the SSA shared, “Working with the Department of Government Efficiency, SSA has charted a new course for the agency that prioritizes enhancing customer service, reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, and optimizing its workforce toward direct public service.” And whilst this may be the positioning of the agency, many advocacy groups and former SSA officials have reacted to the changes with criticism.
The agency has shared that it has made significant strides with adjusting the claims of millions of beneficiaries and paying out retroactive benefits as a result of the Social Security Fairness Act that had been signed into effect earlier this year. The Fairness Act eliminated two previous provisions that caused certain groups to receive a reduced benefit. Around 84% of claims had been adjusted in a streamlined manner thanks to the automated system used by the SSA.
Overall, the agency has outlined 13 key accomplishments, including the streamlined claims adjustments and retroactive payments as a result of the Fairness Act. Additionally, “modernizing telephone services, workforce optimization, as well as bringing in enhanced fraud prevention and the updating of its death records,” have all been accomplished by the SSA.
The agency has also been undergoing restructuring. The SSA confirmed that 3,000 employees had left the agency, and a further 2,000 employees had been reassigned to understaffed offices. Another change that will likely impact beneficiaries has been the decision to “implement enhanced fraud prevention tools for claims filed over the telephone.”
Initially, the plan was to eliminate the option to process claims over the phone, however, this was met was severe backlash. Subsequently, the decision was partially rolled back and in-person appointments will only be necessary if an anomaly is flagged. Progress has also been made with regards to bringing death records up to date.
In a press release, the SSA explained, “Updating the records of individuals who are implausibly old to be living is an important anti-fraud measure.”
How are people reacting?
In a press release, acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek stated, “I am proud of the extraordinary work by our dedicated employees at SSA to help deliver on President Trump’s promise to protect Social Security. Our employees understand the urgency of the moment and have worked hard to restore the public’s trust. While much work remains to be done, there is no question that SSA is taking the necessary steps to transform how it serves the public while protecting hardworking American taxpayers.”
However, there are many opposing opinions regarding these changes at the SSA as well. Former SSA Commissioner, Martin O’Malley, recently voice concerns regarding the downsizing of the agency’s workforce and said that it could “cascade into a collapse of the entire system and an interruption for some time of benefits.”
In his first major address since stepping down from office, former President Joe Biden claimed that the current administration “has taken a hatchet” to the SSA.
“This new administration has done so much damage and done so much destruction. It’s kind of breathtaking,” Biden noted.
These concerns appear to be further bolstered by reports of poor service delivery from the agency, including SSA website crashes, lengthened wait times on the SSA phone line, as well as at the offices, and cases of beneficiaries being declared dead despite still being alive.