An internal memo from the Social Security Administration proposes changes to its phone service that could derail the benefits application process for many Americans.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said it doesn’t plan changes to Social Security, other than to address fraud and waste — but these proposals risk “crippling” a system already plagued by delays, and facing staffing cuts, former agency officials said.
A draft of the memo, signed by acting deputy Social Security commissioner for operations Doris Diaz on March 13, and written on behalf of the agency’s operations department.
Its existence was first reported by Popular.Info, which published screenshots of a subsequent version, sent to acting commissioner Leland Dudek a little later that day.
The memo was sent one day after the agency denied, in a press release, a report it was scrapping its toll-free phone line.
The agency, at the time, said the change would only preclude people from changing their bank account information by phone.
But the new memo — issued one day later — proposes changes that will further limit what people can do by phone. Under the proposal, phone service would still be available to people who call the agency and don’t need to verify their identity, like someone making a general inquiry.
