Recent Social Security Administration (SSA) changes, pushed by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have raised concerns about potential disruptions to benefits and access to services.
Experts warn that efforts to modernize SSA systems risk jeopardizing benefit continuity. Jason Fichtner, a former SSA deputy commissioner under President George W. Bush, expressed concern that the changes could cause service disruptions.
Despite Trump’s assurances that Social Security benefits would remain unaffected, recent policy changes may make it more difficult for eligible individuals to access them.
According to an op-ed by Fichtner and Kathleen Romig, a former SSA senior official and current director of Social Security policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the agency plans to lay off 7,000 people and close six regional offices.
These cuts may result in longer wait times for phone support, website glitches, and overcrowded field offices, making things especially difficult for disabled people who rely on timely payments.
Fichtner and Romig warn that the SSA crisis jeopardizes people’s benefits, particularly since DOGE intends to migrate “tens of millions of lines of code” written in COBOL within a few months.
Fichtner warns that a rushed transition could result in serious system failures. Typically, a project of this size is implemented over several years with gradual testing, rather than an abrupt nationwide switch.
Despite these concerns, the Social Security Administration and the White House have dismissed reports of benefit disruptions.
Experts argue that SSA should prioritize broader reforms over administrative changes.
The Cato Institute’s Romina Boccia believes that DOGE’s efficiency measures will not significantly improve the program’s financial standing.
Instead, rushed changes could complicate necessary benefit reforms before the trust fund depletes in 2033, as projected.
According to SSA’s 2024 projections, the retirement and disability trust funds will last until 2035, at which point only 83% of benefits will be payable unless Congress acts. The retirement trust fund alone may deplete by 2033, reducing benefits to 79%.
Given that the SSA’s administrative budget is less than 1% of its total spending, Charles Blahous, a senior researcher at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, contends that focusing on administrative costs will not effectively address Social Security’s financial challenges.
