Social Security employees have raised alarms about potential delays at the Social Security Administration (SSA), which could impact millions of Americans who rely on its services.
A combination of significant changes, including a new focus on processing claims related to the Social Security Fairness Act, is disrupting normal operations at the agency.
The implementation of this law, alongside other adjustments, is creating a backlog that could affect routine tasks, such as processing payments and updating account information.
According to reports from The Sun, the SSA is facing increasing pressure to manage the surge in claims while maintaining its regular workload. Here’s what Americans need to know.
The Social Security Fairness Act and Its Impact
Signed into law by former President Biden on January 5, the Social Security Fairness Act eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset.
These provisions previously reduced Social Security benefits for public sector workers who also received pensions from non-Social Security-covered employment.
Now, millions of these workers will see larger Social Security checks and some may even qualify for benefits for the first time.
SSA’s Response to Increased Workload
In response to the overwhelming number of claims triggered by the new law, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has instructed staff to prioritize processing these claims.
Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano has set a new, aggressive timeline to process over 3.2 million Fairness Act claims by November. However, Bisignano has accelerated this timeline, aiming to complete the remaining claims by July 1.
The administration has already expedited $15.1 billion in long-delayed retroactive payments to more than 2.3 million individuals affected by the law, using automation. This marks a significant step forward in processing these claims more quickly.
As White House spokesperson Liz Huston stated,
“Using automation, SSA has already expedited over $15.1 billion in long-delayed retroactive payments to more than 2.3 million individuals affected.”
Delays Expected for Routine SSA Tasks
As SSA workers focus on these new priorities, routine tasks such as updating direct deposit information, fixing Medicaid billing issues, and addressing non-priority claims will be delayed. Many beneficiaries may experience stopped payments or delayed benefits.
The White House assures that the impact on other Social Security recipients will be minimal, but employees are concerned that these delays could be widespread.
Some tasks, like changing bank account details or fixing issues related to Medicaid, could be delayed significantly. With over 71 million Americans relying on Medicaid, even minor disruptions to these processes could affect millions of beneficiaries.
Challenges Ahead With Staff Shortages
In addition to the new law, SSA is facing mass layoffs and buyout offers, further reducing staff numbers. These cuts are likely to exacerbate delays, especially in customer service, where many non-priority inquiries may go unaddressed.
Social Security workers are even being instructed to only assist with Fairness Act cases and new claims, leaving other concerns such as overpayment assistance or Medicare issues unresolved for the time being.
Furthermore, the SSA receives approximately 400,000 calls per day, many of which are for non-priority concerns such as updating direct deposit information or addressing Medicare billing issues.
Due to the increased focus on high-priority claims, some of these routine inquiries may be left unanswered.
What This Means for Millions of Americans
Over 71 million Americans rely on Medicaid and Social Security benefits. With delays and potential disruptions to these essential services, millions of beneficiaries could face significant challenges.
From difficulties in changing bank details to interrupted benefits, the ripple effects of these changes could impact a vast number of citizens.
Moreover, employees have been offered weekend overtime to ensure the Fairness Act claims are processed on time, but the ongoing staffing issues and the sheer volume of cases present significant challenges.
As Liz Huston mentioned,
“This project is very important to leadership and it’s critical the agency executes it swiftly, efficiently, and without letting anything else fall through the cracks.”
While the SSA works to handle the influx of new cases, the system’s ongoing challenges will continue to test its ability to serve all Americans in a timely manner.
