Through a series of widely reported moves, the Trump administration, through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is hamstringing Social Security’s ability to provide services.
SSA Services Are Critical, but Under-Resourced
Many people must turn to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for major milestones in their lives, including the birth of a child, enrolling in Medicare, and applying for various benefits like retirement, disability, the low-income subsidy (“Extra Help”), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Despite its critical functions, the agency has long been under-resourced and under-staffed, unable to keep pace with growing demands. As this graphic shows, the number of people SSA serves has gone up while the staffing has declined. In 2015, a recent high point in staffing, SSA had 7,000 more staff serving 7 million fewer beneficiaries than it does today. Currently, the agency is at a 25-year staffing low.
This understaffing has led to backlogs, high wait times for phone calls, and limited, appointment-only availability for in-person services. On Medicare Rights national helpline, we often hear from people who face these barriers. Many report spending significant time and other resources seeking a resolution, as well as a cascading effect—that difficulty obtaining timely information about benefits, coverage, and enrollment can lead to care delays.
DOGE Targets SSA for Cuts, Despite Leanness of Agency
Claiming the need to cut SSA in the name of efficiency, DOGE has targeted the agency’s field offices, workforce, and telephone services. These are critical touch points for people with Medicare.
DOGE led with announcements that it would be closing SSA field offices. Those currently targeted for removal include: White Plains, New York; Logan, West Virginia; Carlsbad, California; Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina; Batesville, Arkansas; Columbus, Ohio; Okemos, Michigan; Nacogdoches, Texas; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Las Vegas, Nevada.
These—and any—office closures will negatively impact SSA customer service and the beneficiary experience. The cuts will make in-person appointments harder to get and to keep by forcing people to wait longer and travel farther. Due to the White Plains office closure, people needing in-person assistance will now have to travel up to 135 miles. This will be difficult for many, and impossible for some.
Due to the White Plains office closure, people needing in-person assistance will now have to travel up to 135 miles.
The administration also announced that it will reduce SSA’s workforce by 7,000, claiming the already lean agency is “bloated.”
Then, in a one-two punch, the administration said it would severely curtail access to retirement or disability services via the phone—an announcement they later walked back—while also requiring parents in some states to go to field offices to get Social Security numbers for their newborns—an announcement they also walked back later.
DOGE Actions Harming Beneficiaries, Despite Rhetoric
Despite President Trump’s claims that Social Security “won’t be touched” by DOGE activities and SSA’s promise to “prioritize customer service,” each of these actions poses a threat to beneficiary access to services. Taken together, they could lead to people going without Medicare coverage, Social Security benefits, and other services they need.
At Medicare Rights, we know how much people with Medicare, and those nearing Medicare eligibility, rely on the agency, and we are deeply concerned about the repercussions of the staff shortages, office closures, and service backlogs. Attacks on SSA put everyone at risk of losing these vital services, and of disrupting income and health coverage for millions. SSA must not be hamstrung, and Social Security itself must be safeguarded to ensure current and future beneficiaries get the help they need and have paid for their whole lives.
Take Action Today
If you are concerned about DOGE limiting access to key benefits, make your voice heard.
Contact the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
You can find the names and contact information of your members of Congress (office phone numbers and websites, most of which have constituent contact forms or portals) by entering your address at https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials. You can also call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to their office.
Medicaid is still under threat. Take action today and tell Congress NO to harmful Medicaid cuts.
Further Reading
Read more about threatened staff cuts and office closures for SSA.
Visit SSA’s website to see the services SSA provides.
Read a fact sheet on SSA from Justice in Aging.
Read about ways to improve the Social Security benefit.
