The Social Security Administration is in turmoil
Agency announces a wave of senior executive departures and 7,000 job cuts
So much for not touching Social Security.
The Social Security Administration yesterday announced that it will cut its workforce by 12% (7,000 positions) and undergo a major reorganization that includes the “separation” of 13 senior managers overseeing major agency functions and regions.
I contributed to the New York Times story on this purge, which ran yesterday. Here’s what one former SSA official told the Times:
“I have never seen so many senior executives leave the Social Security Administration at one time,” said Jason Fichtner, who has served in several positions at the agency, including deputy commissioner and chief economist. “Coming so soon after the resignation of acting Commissioner Michelle King, this is evidence that the agency is in turmoil and needs an experienced leader to take control.”
There’s also a list of roughly 45 SSA field offices that have been tagged for closing or consolidation.
The SSA currently is being led by Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek. He was elevated from a junior management position after expressing support for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. A permanent commissioner has been nominated but not yet confirmed. He is Frank Bisignano, CEO of Wisconsin-based financial technology firm Fiserv and a major Republican donor.
All of this comes against a backdrop of deteriorating customer service characterized by long wait times on the toll-free number and shamefully large backlogs of people awaiting decisions about disability benefit applications.
When Donald Trump promises not to touch Social Security, he means benefits. But access to benefits matters, too.
I covered the problems at SSA in a recent edition of the newsletter, and I’ll be writing more about the situation as the dust settles - if the dust settles, that is.
Join me for a webinar on the future of long-term care
Join me for a webinar on March 11th on the challenges facing our long-term care system in the United States.
Sponsored by the National Academy of Social Insurance, the free webinar will feature top experts on U.S. long-term care, with comments on lessons learned from reforms that the Dutch have made to their system
The webinar will accompany the release of a new report, “Promising Policy Innovations to Make Person-Centered Aging Affordable for All Despite Fiscal and Workforce Constraints: Lessons from the Netherlands,” by Academy Member Ben Veghte.
I’ll be moderating the panel. Speakers will include:
Ben Veghte, director of the WA Cares Fund, which is the state-sponsored LTC insurance plan now in place in Washington state.
Howard Gleckman, senior fellow at the Urban Institute
Narda Ipakchi, vice president of policy & programs at the Scan Foundation
Nicole Jorwic, chief of advocacy, Caring Across Generations
The webinar will take place on March 11th at 11:30am eastern time. It is free and open to the public. Use the button below to register.