The Social Security Administration (SSA) is adjusting its priorities, placing more focus on complex pension claims that could lead to delays in processing routine requests like address updates or direct deposit changes.
According to SSA employees, this shift could result in delays for many beneficiaries, raising concerns about potential interruptions in essential services.
These changes come as the SSA works to process 900,000 complicated cases related to the Social Security Fairness Act, a move that may delay the agency’s response to basic requests from millions of Americans.
While the White House maintains that this will not affect other beneficiaries, employees report that the increased workload could slow down the handling of more straightforward matters, including Medicaid billing issues and payments.
Social Security Fairness Act Takes Precedence Over Routine Cases
In late May, the SSA issued new directives that have reshaped its priorities. Employees at various processing centers have been instructed to give top priority to the cases tied to the Social Security Fairness Act.
This law, which aims to rectify inequities for public workers who were shortchanged on Social Security benefits due to their work in non-public sector jobs, affects over 3.2 million people.
Of these, around 900,000 cases require manual processing rather than automation, a task that significantly extends the time needed to resolve each claim.
Social Security officials have expressed confidence that this adjustment won’t affect other services. White House spokesperson Liz Huston confirmed that over $15.1 billion in retroactive payments has been expedited, and the remaining claims are expected to be processed by July 1.
However, employees warn that with only so many hours in a day, they are being forced to prioritize new claims and those related to the Fairness Act, pushing routine tasks like updating payment information to the back burner.
Strain on Employees and the Risk of Service Interruptions
Despite assurances from SSA leadership, employees report significant pressure to meet tight deadlines while dealing with increasing workloads. Some SSA workers have been offered overtime, including weekend shifts, to manage the priority cases.
However, these extra hours are not enough to ensure that other essential tasks, such as addressing issues with overpayments or assisting with Medicare billing, will be handled in a timely manner.
Employees at several processing centers mentioned that they have been instructed to inform callers that they will not be able to assist with non-priority cases until after July 1. This has led to frustration both among beneficiaries and workers.
