SSA Woes

From Yahoo:

"Social Security closes offices as baby boomers age"

Even as millions of baby boomers approach retirement, the Social Security Administration has been closing dozens of field offices, forcing more and more seniors to seek help online instead of in person, according to a congressional report being released Wednesday. The agency blames budget constraints. As a result, seniors seeking information and help from the agency are facing increasingly long waits, in person and on the phone, the report said. Social Security has closed 64 field offices since 2010, the largest number of closures in a five-year period in the agency's history, according to a report by the bipartisan staff of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. In addition, the agency has closed 533 temporary mobile offices that often serve remote areas. Hours have been reduced in the 1,245 field offices that are still open, the report said. The report questions the agency's criteria for choosing which offices to close, saying the impact on local communities is rarely taken into account.

"Seniors are not being served well when you arbitrarily close offices and reduce access to services," said Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., chairman of the Aging Committee. "The closure process is neither fair nor transparent and needs to change." The committee is holding a hearing on the report Wednesday afternoon. A Social Security official is scheduled to testify.  The closings come as applications for retirement and disability benefits are soaring, a trend that will continue as aging baby boomers approach retirement. More than 47 million people receive Social Security retirement benefits, nearly a 20 percent increase from a decade ago. About 11 million people receive Social Security disability benefits, a 38 percent increase from a decade ago. The Social Security Administration has been encouraging people to access services online. The agency has upgraded its website in recent years, including secure connections to access confidential information. People can apply for benefits without ever visiting Social Security offices. In 2013, nearly half of all retirement applications were filed online, the report said. But the committee report notes that many older Americans lack access to the Internet or might not be comfortable using it to apply for benefits. Last year, more than 43 million people visited Social Security field offices, the report said. About 43 percent of those seeking an appointment had to wait more than three weeks, up from just 10 percent the year before, the report said. Wait times on the phone have increased, too — for those who get through. This year, the agency projects that 14 percent of callers to a toll-free help line will get a busy signal. Those who get through wait on hold for an average of 17 minutes, the report said.

^ As someone who has had to deal with Social Security for the past 10 years (including just 2 weeks ago) they are completely disorganized. The worst are the Social Security office in Fredericksburg, Virginia and the place that answers the phone calls. The VA office had a constant stream of idiots working there (I had to go there numerous times because of their stupidity and laziness.) The people who answer the calls are just as bad. The fact that the SSA doesn't accept POAs (power of attorneys) even a specific POA just for them is beyond stupid. They require someone who can't speak to answer questions so that someone else can have permission to speak to them each and every time. These are supposed to be the people who also deal with the disabled and yet they do little to nothing to aid in their communication with the disabled. We did use the SSA website to apply online but even then you have to go to an office to be approved and answer questions. You also have to see a person and answer questions regarding Death Benefits so those that say you can do everything online is a lie - you can start online or do most of it online, but you still have to go to an office. I will say that our local office (local meaning it is 1 hour and 15 minutes away) has always been very friendly and efficient. When we left Virginia and went to our new local office they "fought" with the VA branch on the phone while we were sitting there so that the Virginia office would release the files and the new office could take over. After dealing with the VA office for several years and getting no where we were approved 2 weeks later from the new office. The SSA needs to do a whole lot more, in general, to help both the elderly and the disabled. Closing offices isn't the answer - unless it's the Fredericksburg office. ^

http://news.yahoo.com/social-security-closes-offices-baby-boomers-age-065631616--finance.html