Summary
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is changing how it manages services, moving from regional to national handling. This change may cause delays and disruptions in services, especially for people who find technology challenging. The SSA plans to implement this new system starting March 7.
Key Facts
- The SSA manages retirement and disability benefits for about 75 million people in the U.S.
- The shift involves 1,200 local field offices transitioning to a national system.
- The new system includes automation and AI phone systems to help manage workloads.
- Experts warn that service delays may increase, especially for disability claims.
- Changes include a new National Appointment Scheduling Calendar and National Workload Management system.
- There are plans to close some rural offices, which may affect people without easy tech access.
- The SSA has reduced its workforce by 12%, losing around 7,000 jobs under the Trump administration.
- The changes are aimed at improving efficiency but might disrupt services in the short term.
