Summary
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has reduced its backlog of disability claims by 30% since June 2024. Processing times for initial claims have improved, and the agency has implemented structural changes to enhance efficiency.
Key Facts
- The SSA has decreased the backlog of initial disability claims from 1.27 million to 830,000.
- The agency processed 2.3 million claims in the 2025 fiscal year, an increase of 10% from the previous year.
- Average processing times for initial claims have reduced by about 45 days.
- Hearing-level processing times have dropped to 265 days, the lowest in 20 years.
- The SSA reorganized its disability adjudication process to streamline operations.
- Medical files have been digitized to be searchable on computers for easier processing.
- The SSA laid off about 7,000 employees last year, affecting workload distribution.
- The Social Security trust funds report predicts that retirement funds might run out by 2034.
