Social Security Watchdog Launches Probe into Call Center Wait Times and Service Delivery

The Social Security Administration's acting inspector general has initiated a review of the agency's call center wait times and its capacity to provide services to Americans. This investigation was prompted by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who has repeatedly expressed concerns about the agency's performance following a reorganization led by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Sen. Warren discussed the necessity for an audit with Commissioner Frank Bisignano during a meeting in July. In a letter to Warren, Acting Inspector General Michelle Anderson stated that the review aims to address the issues raised and is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year. Anderson also noted that she had spoken with Bisignano about these concerns.

Bisignano, who assumed leadership of the agency in May, has committed to significantly enhancing Social Security's customer service, particularly for its national 800 number. The agency has faced turmoil due to the departure of over 5,500 staffers and DOGE's plans to strengthen anti-fraud measures, which caused alarm among the program's approximately 74 million beneficiaries and their advocates. This led to a surge in phone calls and visits to field offices, with fears that monthly payments might be disrupted. Several of the DOGE initiatives were later withdrawn in response to the backlash.

The commissioner has highlighted several improvements, including reducing the time for agents to answer calls on the national 800 number, shortening wait times in field offices, and decreasing the backlog of initial disability claims. In July, he reallocated 1,000 customer service representatives from field offices to the national 800 number, increasing its staffing by 25%.

However, Warren has raised doubts about the accuracy of the information provided to the public, noting that Social Security has removed dozens of performance indicators from its website. These included metrics such as the number of pending retirement benefits claims, the percentage of retirement and disability benefits appointments held within 28 days, and live wait and callback times for the national 800 number.

Warren released a report detailing the data and consumer information that were removed after Bisignano took office. The report emphasized that the removal of these metrics deprives policymakers and the public of crucial information needed to assess the agency's performance and could hinder Americans' ability to make informed decisions about their benefits.

A recent debate on X involved Warren and the agency, with the senator accusing the Trump administration of misleading the public about wait times and referencing a CNN story on call center hold times. Social Security responded by stating that Bisignano welcomes an independent review and that employees are serving more Americans more quickly. The agency also pointed to its updated online performance page, though it remains less comprehensive than previous versions, and shared a letter from Bisignano to Warren expressing support for the audit.

Warren has requested that the inspector general investigate whether wait times have worsened under the Trump administration, how caller wait time data is collected, the accuracy of public information on wait times, and the impact of staffing decisions on service delivery, among other issues.