If you rely on Social Security, you need to know about the changes coming on March 7th because they’re going to fundamentally change how you interact with the Social Security Administration. There are a lot of pros and cons to it, so I hope you’ll stick with me.
Right now, the level of service you receive from the Social Security Administration is often dictated by where you live. If you live in an area with a lot of retirees and a lot of people who deal with Social Security, you often have longer waits and more difficult access. But if you live in an area where your local office is empty most of the time, you get faster service and easier appointments.
Of course, the case they’re making now is that your location shouldn’t dictate your access to Social Security. So they are trying to create a new national system that is faster and fairer for everyone. But things don’t always go as easily as the government would like. This new change is going to create some definite pros and cons. It’s going to be great for some people and really difficult for others. That’s what we’re going to break down here today.
This is a transcript of our video. You can watch the full video on our YouTube channel: Low Income Relief.
How The System Works Right Now
Before March 7th, most of your business is done with your local office. Your appointment is tied to your nearest Social Security office. You’re tied to their calendar and what they have available, and the staffing of that office can really dictate what your wait times look like.
They want to shift to a new national system. They’re introducing two things. The first one is called the National Appointment Scheduling Calendar. This will be one calendar for the whole country. The other is the National Workload Management System. This allows cases to go to any available worker, not just the one in your local office.
Basically, they’re shifting from a local-first to a national-first processing system.
What The New National System Means
With the new calendar, you’ll be able to schedule yourself at ssa.gov. You won’t need to make a phone call, and you’ll be able to pick the first available slot anywhere in the country.
Of course, you’re not going to be driving to an appointment anywhere in the country. If you’re in Ohio and the first available appointment is in Texas, that’s going to be a phone call or a virtual meeting. It’s not going to be an in-person appointment. That’s something to be aware of, especially for those of you who prefer face-to-face appointments.
The National Workload Management System is similar. Your paperwork may now be handled by an employee in another state—whoever is available and trained for your type of case. Again, that means a lot of those interactions will be held virtually or over the phone if you need to communicate with that person.
Why This Is Happening
Staffing is at a 50-year low. There are fewer workers per beneficiary now than before. About 7,000 people were cut from the Social Security Administration in the last year or so. Their stated goal is to cut in-person visits by half this year.
If you can do it digitally or over the phone, that’s what they’re going to push you toward because they really want to cut how many people are coming into the office for that face-to-face service.
That sounds good in theory, at least to some people, but the reality is that this could hit low-income seniors and families hard.
First, there’s a massive digital divide, both generationally and on an income basis. It’s harder for lower-income people to have the tech required to use some of these services. It can also be difficult to navigate, and it can open people up to scams. There are a lot of concerns with moving something as sensitive as Social Security to an all-online system.
The next concern is longer hold times. I know they’re doing this to cut hold times and wait times for a lot of people, but if you’re in an area where the wait times are already low, other people are going to have lower wait times because yours may get longer. That’s how it balances out, if that makes sense.
Then, of course, local services are going to get more complicated. If your friendly neighborhood Social Security expert was referring you to food banks and other services, that might not be a thing anymore. If it’s nationwide and you’re being served by someone in another state, they might be less familiar with state-by-state nuances as well.
The Good News
There is some good news. Your benefits are going to stay the same. They’re not cutting your benefits or anything like that. They’re just trying to streamline the back end of how Social Security works.
Your eligibility rules are not changing. Field offices are staying open. They’re not closing. They’re just prioritizing scheduled visits, and your local office may end up serving people in other states.
If you’re used to being able to get in quickly, you may find that wait times are longer or shorter depending on where you live and what scheduling has looked like for you personally.
What You Should Do Now
If you’re concerned about this, there are a few things you can do right now.
Create a my Social Security account so you’re prepared to book appointments online and use that system. They’re saying that over 100 million people have already signed up, and that’s really what they’re leaning into right now—getting more people on that system.
Schedule early. If you want to make sure you’re seeing someone in your local office, you should probably schedule that before March 7th hits and those new systems go online.
Make sure you’re recording case details. If you talk to somebody, write down their name and employee information, and try to note where they are if you can. It’s not going to be as easy as going down to your local office and saying, “Hey, I talked to that guy,” because it may not be that guy.
And of course, if you have any questions regarding Medicare, our sponsor, Chapter, is absolutely amazing at getting those questions answered for you. You can see their number down here or over there. It’s always free to call Chapter and ask your questions. They are licensed Medicare advisers, and they are extremely helpful. They’re the ones I go to with all the questions I have.
Please go check them out. And I would encourage you to check out our recent video on the bills you don’t have to pay if you’re low income.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the content on this website are solely those of the content creators and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of the Social Security Administration, Medicare, Chapter, or its affiliates. Chapter makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. All content is intended for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes only and should not be interpreted as official positions of the Social Security Administration, Medicare, Chapter, or its affiliates. Chapter disclaims any liability for actions taken based on this content.
If you need assistance with Medicare, please reach out to Medicare, your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), your current Medicare insurance agent/broker/plan, or contact our Medicare partner, Chapter, at 417-319-2139 or visit their website at https://lirlinks.com/chapter. Chapter: Memoir, Inc. d/b/a Chapter is a privately owned, data- and technology-enabled advisory service helping older Americans navigate retirement. Insurance agency services are provided by Chapter Advisory, LLC, a licensed health insurance agency and wholly owned subsidiary of Memoir, Inc. In California, Chapter Advisory, LLC does business as Chapter Insurance Services (Lic. No. 6003691).Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations as well as stand-alone prescription drug plans with Medicare contracts. Enrollment depends on the renewal of those contracts. While Chapter maintains a comprehensive database of Medicare plans nationwide and assists in searching all options, Chapter has contracts with many, but not all, plans. Therefore, Chapter does not offer every plan available in your area. Chapter recommends plans even if they are not directly offered through Chapter. For complete Medicare plan options, please visit Medicare.gov, call 1-800-Medicare, or contact your local SHIP office.