A new investigation has revealed an alarming truth about Social Security wait times. It has been revealed that wait times for assistance at the Social Security Administration (SSA) are worsening, and the public has been kept in the dark about the severity of the issue.
What You’re Told vs. What’s Happening
Recently, the Social Security Administration removed 34 key performance metrics from its website, including those indicating how long it takes to reach a live person by phone and how long it takes to process applications. Now, the only metrics available are those showing the average speed of answer, which the agency says is 19.2 minutes. However, that figure is misleading because it does not indicate call-back wait times and other real-world delays.
In reality, Americans trying to get help from Social Security are often left waiting for over an hour, and sometimes, the calls never get through at all. According to a USA Today investigation calls to the SSA’s 1-800 number frequently took over 60 minutes before being disconnected without warning.
What’s Behind the Change?
Frank Bisignano, the Social Security Commissioner, admitted that he ordered the wait-time metrics to be taken down to avoid discouraging people from calling. “If you show that you got an hour and a half wait time, well, people are going to be discouraged and not call,” Bisignano said during a June 25 congressional hearing.
This move has attracted fierce criticism from advocates and lawmakers who accused the SSA of lacking transparency, saying that it’s deceptive and harmful to their reputation. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) criticized the decision, asking how the SSA expected the public and lawmakers to evaluate the agency’s performance when the actual data is not available publicly. “It is shocking that they would just remove that data,” she said.
Warren’s Office Runs Its Test and the Results are Devastating
In response to the complaints regarding the lack of access to actual data on the SSA website, Senator Elizabeth Warren conducted her own investigation. From June 12 to June 20, her staff called the SSA’s 1-800 line every hour, and the results were devastating. Here are the findings:
- Over 50% of calls were never answered by a human.
- Wait times averaged 102 minutes which was nearly five times longer than the SSA’s reported figure.
- In 32% of calls, wait times exceeded two hours.
- Many calls dropped without warning after long hold times.
Warren termed these findings as deeply troubling and accused the SSA of misleading the public. “These delays are unacceptable and made even worse by your misleading claims that service has improved,” she wrote in a letter to Commissioner Bisignano.
The Root of the SSA Struggles
Many people might be wondering, how did we get here?
Much of the current struggles being experienced at the SSA began during Trump’s presidency. Even before assuming power, the SSA was already struggling with low staffing levels and after Trump took office, the administration through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) slashed staffing even further. In early 2025, the SSA was forced to cut 7,000 jobs which was more than 10% of its workforce.
Due to inadequate staffing, the demand for services as baby boomers continue to retire is overwhelming the staff available. Advocates like Nancy Altman of Social Security Works say that this is the cause of system breakdowns that are being experienced now. “It would defy logic for it to get easier given how they’ve hollowed out the agency,” she added.
Nancy also adds that the delayed payments and unresolved disputes are frustrating seniors, survivors, and people with disabilities who rely on Social Security benefits as their main source of income.
As Nancy Altman puts it, “The American people are getting frustrated, but they don’t know if it is just happening to them.”
Conclusion
The new investigation has revealed alarming truths about Social Security wait times that the SSA has been hiding from the public. This hurts the transparency of the agency and creates uncertainty among beneficiaries about the future of the Social Security benefits.
It’s unclear if the current administration will reverse course and restore accountability for the agency. For now, it is clear that the Social Security system is in crisis and the public will have to pay the price.