Social Security Highlights Its Biggest Accomplishments of 2023 — What Will Be Program’s Major Priorities in the New Year?
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Daria Uhlig
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It’s a safe bet that Social Security Administration officials will not rue the passing of 2023. The agency came under fire on multiple fronts over the past year, ranging from a staffing/funding “crisis” to an overpayment scandal that angered both Social Security recipients and U.S. lawmakers. That doesn’t mean the SSA couldn’t put a positive face on things as the new year approaches, however.
In a statement issued on Mon., Dec. 18, Social Security Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi ran down some of the agency’s accomplishments despite what she described as considerable challenges caused in part by chronic underfunding.
Among the things the SSA has prioritized this year are technology enhancements to improve customer service.
“For visitors to our local field offices, we expanded mobile check-in and instituted an online scheduling system for people who need an appointment for a Social Security card,” Kijakazi said. “We also updated our check-in kiosks to make them more accessible and improve the overall check-in process.”
Kijakazi also pointed to the SSA’s new website. “Our redesigned website, launched in December 2022, is easier to navigate, more task-oriented, and offers more self-service options and increased digital services, making it easier for people to apply for benefits and replacement SSN cards.”
“Customers can start — and often complete — their SSN card requests and applications for certain benefits online, and our new Office of Transformation recently introduced an online tool that will allow customers to electronically sign and upload certain documents,” Kijakazi said. “These improvements allow millions of people to complete their business online quickly and securely, saving time for our customers and freeing up more time for our employees to help customers with more complex needs in person and process more cases.”
These improvements aside, Kijakazi said the SSA is still hampered by the combined effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and chronic underfunding, both of which have taken a toll on employees and led to high attrition and backlogs.
“Our budget directly drives the level of service we can provide,” she said. “Bottom line, we need enough well-trained employees to ensure we can meet your needs. New hires are necessary to begin to reduce growing backlogs and improve service.”
The SSA’s fiscal year 2023 funding allowed the agency to hire nearly 8,000 employees. One of its priorities in 2024 will be to secure enough funding to maintain its staffing levels. The agency also aims to continue reducing the backlog of hearings and address the backlog of initial disability claims.
“With sustained and sufficient funding consistent with the President’s FY 2024 budget request, I’m confident that we can build on our progress and retain the best qualified workforce,” Kijakazi said.
Other priorities include the following:
- Improve equity and access for all customers through partnerships and policy initiatives. This includes the newly established Office of Native American Partnerships, which is piloting mobile services by sending SSA employees to health facilities in remote locations and improving video service delivery in Tribal communities.
- Make it easier for people seeking Social Security benefits to obtain legal representation.
- Simplify disability redetermination and overpayment notices so they’re shorter, easier to understand and less burdensome for customers.
- Support limited English proficiency policies to help customers with little or no understanding of English access information and services.
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