Social Security Issues Update on Changes Impacting Recipients

Newsweek

2 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Social Security Administration announced a major update to its technological advancements on Wednesday as part of its larger mission, led by new Commissioner Frank Bisignano, to modernize the agency.
"Our vision is centered on providing outstanding service that works for everyone we serve—whether they call, walk into a field office, or choose to manage their benefits online," said Bisignano in a statement. "We are transforming the customer experience, investing in technology to build frontline capacity, and using real-time data to monitor performance across the board. We are delivering higher levels of customer service—and this will continue."
Newsweek reached out to the SSA via email for further comment.
Why It Matters
Approximately 69 million people receive Social Security payments each month.
Since President Donald Trump took office again, the SSA has been undergoing a period of restructuring, with thousands of employees no longer working for the agency due to the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) cost-saving initiatives.
What To Know
In its announcement, the SSA said it had implemented new telephone technology on the national 800 number and in its field offices. The SSA stated that this resulted "in improved service to the American people," according to its release.
Specifically, the SSA is handling more calls with a faster response time. Last week, the agency handled nearly 1.3 million calls on the national 800 number, which was 70 percent more than the same week last fiscal year.
The average speed of answer also dropped to 6 minutes from an average of 30 minutes last year.
Field office wait times are also down. While the average wait time was 30 minutes last year, now Americans are waiting just 23 minutes.
A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, D.C.
A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, D.C.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The agency also eliminated its longstanding scheduled downtime of 29 hours a week for the my Social Security portal. In the first week alone, the SSA said 125,000 more customers were able to access their online accounts.
Despite these improvements, some experts have sounded the alarm on the tech upgrades while the SSA faces a funding crisis projected to hit as early as the early 2030s.
"This modernization is happening while Social Security faces its worst funding crisis in decades. The trustees in 2024 projected the program's combined retirement and disability trust funds may last until 2035," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek.
"Think about that. The agency is investing millions in new technology while knowing it might only be able to pay 83 cents on the dollar in 10 years. It's like renovating the kitchen while the house is on fire."
In recent months, the SSA also said it would be sending 3.1 million payments to recipients eligible under the Social Security Fairness Act ahead of schedule. This law enabled public service workers, such as teachers and firefighters, to receive money they were owed but had previously been denied due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
The disability backlog has also decreased to 940,000 pending cases, down from more than 1.2 million cases last year, the SSA said.
What People Are Saying
SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano said in a statement: "Our strategy is clear: serve customer needs quickly and completely, no matter how they contact us. We will continue to evaluate our tools, technology, and processes to empower our workforce to provide best-in-class customer service to the American people."
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: "What beneficiaries need to understand is this: Every 'modernization' is really a cost-cutting measure disguised as improvement. Those electronic signatures and digital uploads? They're not about your convenience; they're about reducing the army of federal workers processing your paperwork. It just means more automated screening, more delays, and fewer real people to talk to when things go wrong."
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "For beneficiaries, it's a positive sign, as reports like this indicate it should be much quicker to get support over the phone or online. However, for the employees of the administration, this could further strain their workforce which is having to take on more tasks in an already heavy schedule. The hope is there can be a balance found in the long-term aspect where both sides can benefit from the new set-up."
Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "All service types—internet, phone, and in-person have had tech and process updates to expand service hours and speed up response times. These updates are woefully overdue and welcomed by all seniors and their caretakers."
What Happens Next
The SSA also alerted recipients to another change heading their way in the fall. Starting September 30, the SSA will no longer issue paper checks for benefit payments.