Social Security Administration Begins Independent Audit of Call Wait Times Amid Service Concerns

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is under heightened scrutiny due to recent workforce reductions and concerns about service delivery, especially following the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and plans to cut staff by 12%, potentially leaving the agency with its smallest workforce in over 50 years despite a growing beneficiary population. Senator Elizabeth Warren has been a prominent critic, pushing for transparency and raising alarms about the accuracy of the SSA's reported improvements in customer service metrics, particularly regarding call center wait times and the removal of key performance data from public access. In response, the SSA's acting Inspector General, Michelle Anderson, initiated an audit focused on call center wait times and overall service capabilities, aiming to complete this investigation by the end of the year. SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, who assumed leadership in May, promised enhancements such as reducing wait times on the national 800 number by reallocating 1,000 customer service staff and addressing backlogs in disability claims, yet skepticism remains due to conflicting data and whistleblower claims about data security risks under DOGE's management. Democrats, led by Warren, are leveraging concerns about SSA's service degradation and privacy issues in their political efforts, contrasting with the administration's assertions of progress and technological improvements. This ongoing audit and political discourse highlight the challenges facing the SSA amid significant operational changes and the critical need to safeguard benefits for millions of Americans.