Social Security Administration's current implementation of cutbacks triggered by cryptocurrency Dogecoin
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is currently undergoing significant changes, aiming to improve customer service through technological modernization. However, these efforts are taking place against a backdrop of staffing challenges and reductions that have been ongoing since the Trump administration.
In a bid to lead the modernization efforts, the new commissioner, Frank Bisignano, has appointed DOGE to spearhead the technological transformation. Yet, concerns have been raised about the commissioner's approach, as many of the new team members are not well-acquainted with the population SSA primarily serves – seniors and people with disabilities.
One of the most noticeable effects of the restructuring and workforce reductions is the loss of experienced hands who have been working on technological modernization over the years. This has led to service interruptions such as website outages and glitches with AI phone systems.
Despite these challenges, the SSA has managed to improve service speed and capacity. As of mid-2025, the agency has reduced average call wait times on its National 800 Number from 30 minutes last year to 6 minutes, a 80% improvement. Field office wait times have also decreased by 23% to 23 minutes. The SSA handled 1.3 million calls in a recent week, a 70% increase from the previous year, showing greater capacity and responsiveness.
However, these improvements are not without complications. The staffing cuts have increased pressures on remaining employees and infrastructure, leading to concerns about increased burdens on field offices, especially as identity verification processes move toward requiring more in-person visits. This may disadvantage older adults less comfortable with online systems.
The Trump administration's restructuring and workforce reduction efforts have resulted in a leaner workforce at the SSA. The agency has reduced its workforce by about 7,000 jobs, taking its staffing from 57,000 to 50,000. The number of people serving the public in the front lines is lower than it was before, even after the agency has reshuffled the deck chairs.
Furthermore, the elimination of the office that would have modernized SSA's processes and systems with a customer-centered approach under the Trump administration has added to the challenges. The SSA has also stopped publishing customer service metrics on its website, making it difficult to track performance.
Kathleen Romig, the Director of Social Security and Disability Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, has expressed concerns about the impact of these changes. She notes that fewer than half of people could make an appointment at an SSA field office within a month, and there are fewer people answering phones, serving the public, and processing claims.
The retrained employees are expected to take on complex workloads quickly, but it takes about two years to become proficient in those jobs. The jobs that the reassigned employees were doing before are going unfilled due to the restructuring. Moreover, nearly half of the agency's senior executives have departed SSA over the last six months, and more than 80% of the staff in the regional offices that provided help to the front-line staff at SSA has disappeared.
These challenges underscore the need for careful consideration and planning as the SSA continues its modernization efforts. Ensuring that the needs of the people it serves are met while improving efficiency and capacity is a delicate balance that must be maintained.
Federal workforce oversight is crucial as concerns arise about the new commissioner's approach to technology-led modernization within the Social Security Administration (SSA), given that many new team members are not familiar with the population the SSA serves primarily – seniors and people with disabilities. Agency oversight should address the impact of staffing cuts and the elimination of an office that would have modernized SSA's systems with a customer-centered approach, as these factors complicate the SSA's technological transformation and service improvements.
