In an effort to limit fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration will impose tighter identity-proofing measures — which will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices rather than interact with the agency over the phone.

Summary

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will require in-person identity verification for new applicants and recipients changing direct deposit, ending phone-based verification.

The move comes as the agency plans to close 47 offices and lay off thousands of workers. Critics warn it will burden seniors, disabled individuals, and rural residents.

Democrats accuse Trump and Musk of undermining Social Security to push privatization.

Unions have sued to block DOGE from accessing sensitive Social Security data.

  • spongebue@lemmy.world
    11·
    4 hours ago

    My daughter qualified for social security due to her low birth weight. The maximum weight for that is 2 pounds, 10 ounces (1.2kg). She was born at less than half that. Does that mean we’d have to bring her over while she was in NICU for 4 months and on a ventilator? For $30/month of benefits?

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
      1·
      26 minutes ago

      My hope is that you could still register using the online portal but… these people really don’t give a shit if their decrees are cruel and cause pain. Elon Musk considers empathy to be a fundamental human flaw and this shit will never personally affect him.

    • Bob Robertson IX @discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      1·
      28 minutes ago

      No, the headline and summary above are leaving out the fact that you can still access the SSA through their website. This is just removing the telephone option, and if you can’t use the website then the only other option is to go to an office. I’m assuming that since you are on Lemmy, you have internet access.