Social Security issues cause delay in payments

(InvestigateTV) — The AARP recently issued a report claiming the Social Security istration (SSA) is experiencing a service crisis.

The report found long wait times, hang ups and major delays are just some of the issues people are having when they try to the Social Security istration.

“People can’t afford to wait,” AARP Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Bill Sweeney said.

Sweeny said significant declines in SSA’s inflation adjusted budget, combined with complex istrative burdens and the need to update their IT systems has led to the long wait times for basic services and large backlogs of disability insurance claims.

“Well, this is the thing, it impacts everybody. So, if you’re on Social Security and you need to get help, and you call and they’re spending a lot of their time on disability wait times, it means your wait times are going to be longer on the phone.”

Floridian Peter Eisenstadt is one of them. He received his benefits but had to wait two years for Social Security to correct his claim.

“I was supposed to get $75 more a month,” Eisenstadt said. “Now, it’s not a lot of money. It amounts to maybe $700 or $800 a year, but it’s my money and I want it.”

He said it wasn’t until he ed his senator, Rick Scott (R-FL), that his issue was resolved.

“They put you on hold for literally hours and then sometimes when you, sometimes the phone call just drops after you’re waiting so long,” Eisenstadt shared. “Imagine going through this for two years. I was pulling my hair out.”

Sweeney said Congress needs to address some of the challenges facing the SSA, including its funding level, which fell by 9.2% from 2018 to 2023.

The AARP’S report found that to fully address the excess back claims and wait times, additional funding of $1.8 billion over three years is required.

Without it, the report projects that backlogs for initial determinations could top 1.5 million and persist for several years.

“We’re making sure that everybody in Congress, in the istration, everybody is hearing from us that it’s really critical that they fully fund and make sure that Social Security has the resources it needs,” Sweeney said. “And to make sure that Social Security, frankly, is using that money to improve their customer service.”
The Social Security istration has not responded to a request for comment or interview.

Sweeny recommends that consumers go to SSA’s website to see if there’s a way they can fill out requests online to avoid the long phone calls.

Beneficiaries can also try to do what Peter did and their senator or representative to expedite the process.

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