Last week, beneficiaries of the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program were erroneously told that they were no longer receiving benefits, and could no longer access account history through the program’s online portal.
This is according to reporting at CBS News, as well as a letter from a coalition of Democratic senators to Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of social security.
The SSI program as administered by SSA “provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources,” according to the agency’s website. The senators in the letter — Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Mark Kelly (Ariz.) — explained that they received reports from constituents about a possible disruption in their benefits.
“Our constituents […] informed our offices that, after signing into their account on the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s website, where they normally see their monthly benefit amount and other information about their benefits, they instead found messages stating that they or their loved ones are ‘currently not receiving payments,’” the letter said.
“The payment history and all data about benefits related to these accounts had also disappeared. Some of these constituents have informed us that the issue was quickly resolved and that their profiles now accurately reflect that they are recipients, but it is unclear if these problems have been fully resolved.”
The senators go on to say that the incident “raises fresh questions about operations at SSA and the effects of [DOGE]’s attacks on the agency,” which the letter accuses Dudek of helping to “facilitate,” and have requested more detail from him regarding other potential incidents that may have come up, their cause and any additional clarification that the agency has provided for impacted beneficiaries.
This came as the New York Times has reported renewed concerns about staffing levels and office closures at SSA nationwide, with some current or prospective beneficiaries reporting excessive phone wait times to schedule an appointment at regional offices.
Late last month, SSA announced it would implement a new in-person identity verification requirement. Beneficiaries who are unable to complete their identity verification online must go to an SSA office to have the process completed in person, but it was a requirement being floated at a time when SSA is reportedly set to close a number of field offices nationwide — potentially creating even more conflict.
But SSA later walked back some elements of the proposal. After some vocal opposition, including from groups like AARP, the administration will now permit these processes to be conducted over the phone.
“We have listened to our customers, Congress, advocates, and others, and we are updating our policy to provide better customer service to the country’s most vulnerable populations,” Dudek said in a statement.
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