Thread by @kathleenromig

The #SocialSecurity Administration needs a funding boost NOW, in the stopgap funding bill.

Otherwise problems will grow for applicants & beneficiaries, who already face record-long telephone hold times and waits for disability decisions. 🧵1/

cbpp.org/blog/social-se…

The fiscal year ends in just 2 weeks, so Congress must pass a stopgap funding bill (aka continuing resolution, or CR) for FY23.

That includes funds to administer Social Security & SSI, which together serve over *70M* Americans. 2/

Customer service delays at the Social Security Administration (SSA) are already causing serious problems for applicants & beneficiaries, who are enduring record-long waits for disability decisions, long hold times on the agency’s 800 number & other problems. 3/

These delays in getting Social Security benefits or assistance from SSA staff cause significant stress and financial hardship. Backlogs will continue to grow unless policymakers act. 4/

To prevent more deterioration in Social Security service, the stopgap measure should include the Biden proposal for additional funding for SSA. (This is an "anomaly," aka a change from FY22 levels.) The Admin is only asking for a partial down payment on its full-year request. 5/

SSA is already understaffed, having lost 4K employees (7%) during the pandemic. Without additional funding in the CR, they will be forced to freeze hiring & won't even be able to replace departing staff. They expect 6K more workers to leave in FY23. 6/

The remaining Social Security staff won't be able to make up the work. Without additional funding in the CR, SSA will also be forced to slash overtime to below FY22 levels. 7/

Fewer employees + higher demand would make it harder for people to access their Social Security benefits & other services. With thousands fewer employees to answer the phones, take appointments, answer questions, & process applications, customer service problems will worsen. 8/

In Aug, the average wait for an initial disability decision hit an all-time high of 198 days (6.6 mos), more than 2 mos longer than before the pandemic. (The avg for 2022 is 6.1 mos.)

Without the requested funding, this unacceptable wait time will continue to grow. 9/

Big problems at SSA’s 800 number, too. Hold times averaged 30+ min in 2022, over 10 min longer than before the pandemic. Half of callers hang up b/c of busy signals or long waits.

Without more funds, applicants/beneficiaries will face even longer waits to get help. 10/

Congress must restore SSA’s funding and staffing so that Social Security applicants/beneficiaries get prompt benefits & assistance. They can start by ensuring the agency has enough funding to see it through mid-December without further compromising service. 11/

When Congress turns to full-year spending bills, it will also need to make a strong & sustained investment in SSA to better serve the workers who pay into Social Security and the beneficiaries who have earned its protection. 12/12
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