Larson, Davis Call for Strengthening the Social Security Administration after GAO Finds COVID-19 Customer Service Challenges

Press Release

Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study on the Social Security Administration's service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic requested by Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chair Danny K. Davis (D-IL). The study shows that the public faced significant barriers to obtaining benefits and other assistance from the Social Security Administration (SSA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, with fewer applications for benefits particularly among people with disabilities, extremely low-income seniors, and people with limited English proficiency.

"The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, and this report shows the Social Security Administration was not immune from them," said Larson and Davis. "The closure of SSA field offices impacted already vulnerable beneficiaries and applicants, and in many cases, made applying for benefits more challenging. While applications have begun to rebound now that field offices are back open, SSA must be more adequately funded to fulfill its core mission of serving the American people, so that it can restore customer service and improve outreach so that all may receive the benefits they rely on. We support the work of Chair Rosa DeLauro and House Appropriations Democrats to provide SSA with a much-needed increase in operating funds, and we urge the agency to implement the recommendations in today's report."

GAO studied changes to SSA's customer service during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the public. Notably, GAO found that:

During the first two years of the pandemic, to ensure the safety of the public and employees, SSA closed its offices to most visitors. At the same time, SSA expanded its online services and telephone services and worked to increase public awareness and use of these options.
During the time when field offices were closed to most visitors, the public filed significantly fewer benefit applications, compared with the prior two years.
The drop in benefit applications was particularly large among people applying for disability benefits, extremely low-income seniors, and people with limited English proficiency.
In April 2022, SSA reopened its field offices to walk-in visitors and has seen applications for some types of benefits increase.
Over the course of the pandemic, SSA has implemented new outreach initiatives and made policy changes to increase access and improve services, including as part of the agency's Equity Action Plan.

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