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EXCLUSIVE: The leading Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee is set to compel the Social Security Administration to address a noticeable spike in phone call wait times following the removal of an online tracking tool from its official website.
Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire has reached out to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano at the agency’s Baltimore headquarters expressing serious concerns regarding modifications to the performance metrics shared through the SSA’s public dashboard.
In her correspondence, Hassan raised questions about whether DOGE-related budget cuts affecting the federal workforce and resources contributed to the current situation, referencing troubling reports regarding the removal or replacement of publicly accessible tools. An independent analysis carried out by minority staff on the Joint Economic Committee further supports her inquiries.
Hassan emphasized the significance of the earlier dashboard, which provided not only historical data but also general processing times for retirement, survivor, disability, and Medicare benefits. The new version of the dashboard lacks these essential metrics, causing concern for many beneficiaries.
She stated that, “These data and other metrics provide critical insight into the performance of your agency and served as guideposts for seniors and other beneficiaries navigating the benefits process.” Additionally, she highlighted that vital information regarding call and callback times, field-office casework processing times, and other indicators is no longer easily accessible.
Hassan also voiced concerns regarding whether the actions of DOGE played a role in these changes. She asserted, “Removing this information may also obscure the impact of deep staffing and resource cuts driven by the Department of Government Efficiency on SSA’s ability to deliver for seniors.”
For these reasons, she urged the immediate restoration of all previous metrics to the SSA performance dashboard.
Earlier this month, DOGE celebrated a significant win in its efficiency quest, as the Supreme Court lifted a Maryland federal court injunction that hindered its ability to access SSA systems. Critics had previously argued that this access raised concerns due to the sensitive data involved.
The Supreme Court’s unsigned order specified that under the current circumstances, SSA could permit members of the SSA DOGE Team access to the agency’s records to fulfill their duties.
A purported screenshot shared with Fox News Digital depicted a concerning increase in hold times, escalating from approximately 4% to 28% between February and March. However, SSA has dismissed similar claims made in the Washington Post report as inaccurate.
Stephen McGraw, a representative from SSA, countered this narrative stating, “The reality for callers to our 800-number is that about 42 percent manage their inquiries through automated, self-service options. For those who prefer to speak with a representative, roughly 75 percent utilize the callback-assist feature, which minimizes hold times considerably.” He added that the average speed of answer on the 800 number this year is approximately 19 minutes, with marked improvements in wait times compared to the previous two years.
Moreover, McGraw mentioned that anticipated improvements in wait times are expected to continue throughout the year. He remarked, “As Commissioner Bisignano evaluates the agency, we are modernizing our performance metrics to reflect the real-life experiences of the people we serve and highlight the fastest ways our customers can receive services.”
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of measuring relevant metrics to enhance customer service and provide all Americans with the information necessary to choose the service channel best suited for them.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Commissioner Bisignano has indicated that increasing staffing levels is not the long-term fix for the agency’s systemic issues. He appeared to support the DOGE initiative focused on upgrading technological systems, reaffirming the need for SSA to become a “digital-first, technology-led organization that prioritizes public service.”
At a time when SSA ranked last in employee satisfaction among government agencies, Bisignano expressed his commitment to improving this aspect as well. He acknowledged the critical need for change within the agency.
In her letter, Hassan highlighted that DOGE’s actions led to a reduction of approximately 7,000 jobs at the SSA, with around 4,000 of these being voluntary departures. Furthermore, she noted DOGE’s efforts to modernize and update SSA technology systems, including an outdated coding program known as COBOL, which dates back to the 1950s.
These changes have resulted in service disruptions for beneficiaries, who have faced error messages and failures in scheduling and managing appointments across field offices nationwide. Hassan pointed out that about 20% of New Hampshire’s population is enrolled in Social Security benefits as of 2023, underscoring the agency’s significance in her state.
Hassan concluded her letter by outlining several pressing questions for Bisignano. She requested a real-time report on current callback and wait times by 5 PM Eastern Time, among other requests for information on adjustments or deletions to datasets and processing times for various benefits.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
