I have started calling any local office I am able to reach a live person at, playing dumb, and they almost always give me the contact info (phone/fax) for another office.
Services are definitely dropping. In my state the answered rate over 20 offices is around 60%. I know many will say I'm whining but the offices can no longer keep up.
At the FO that I retired from, they have no available appointments out to the two-month calendar max. Mgmt no longer cares, because it is considered to be giving a boost to increased internet claims, which is the real goal. Service and payment accuracy are no longer goals of the agency.
My office frequently runs out of appointments too and since mgmt doesn't seem to care I have wondered if this is how they have decided how to force people to do internet claims. The problem is that widow and lump sum claims can't be done on the internet. It sucks telling someone whose spouse just died that they have to call back to try to get an open slot and even when there's one available they have to wait two months, which often causes financial hardship.
It appears that the Department of Veteran's Affairs model is the new standard for government agencies.
It's true that much of this is budget driven, but I suspect there's a little bit of management and employee "I don't give a damn" thrown in for good measure.
why don't field offices bump folks who make appointments for things easily done over the phone or via internet (with some sort of verification the person has access to those things--whether they desire to use them or not) to make room for the folks whose issues can only be handled in person?
If SSA management plans to push services onto the internet, they have to get it to function properly. In my office, we love ERE (Electronics Record Express) to get access to client file and to submit records electronically. However, last week, it took my assistant an average of 3 days per case before ERE would accept the records--it was down most of the time for whatever reason. Make online services work, and perhaps more of the public will use it!
I have started calling any local office I am able to reach a live person at, playing dumb, and they almost always give me the contact info (phone/fax) for another office.
ReplyDeleteI have tried calling my local office for about two weeks. I am unable to reach a service rep by phone. I have posted this issue before here.
ReplyDeleteServices are definitely dropping. In my state the answered rate over 20 offices is around 60%. I know many will say I'm whining but the offices can no longer keep up.
ReplyDeleteseems like something NOSSCR should do...compile a list of the fax numbers of all offices. Make this available to all members.
ReplyDeleteAt the FO that I retired from, they have no available appointments out to the two-month calendar max. Mgmt no longer cares, because it is considered to be giving a boost to increased internet claims, which is the real goal. Service and payment accuracy are no longer goals of the agency.
ReplyDeleteMy office frequently runs out of appointments too and since mgmt doesn't seem to care I have wondered if this is how they have decided how to force people to do internet claims. The problem is that widow and lump sum claims can't be done on the internet. It sucks telling someone whose spouse just died that they have to call back to try to get an open slot and even when there's one available they have to wait two months, which often causes financial hardship.
DeleteIt appears that the Department of Veteran's Affairs model is the new standard for government agencies.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that much of this is budget driven, but I suspect there's a little bit of management and employee "I don't give a damn" thrown in for good measure.
why don't field offices bump folks who make appointments for things easily done over the phone or via internet (with some sort of verification the person has access to those things--whether they desire to use them or not) to make room for the folks whose issues can only be handled in person?
ReplyDeleteIf SSA management plans to push services onto the internet, they have to get it to function properly. In my office, we love ERE (Electronics Record Express) to get access to client file and to submit records electronically. However, last week, it took my assistant an average of 3 days per case before ERE would accept the records--it was down most of the time for whatever reason. Make online services work, and perhaps more of the public will use it!
ReplyDelete