USA Today reports that Social Security is no longer requiring that claimants using its online systems verify their identity by copying a code from a text message they receive on their cell phone. It turns out that many people don't have cell phones or have poor cell phone reception or found the new process cumbersome.
5 comments:
Surprise! If lowly field employees knew this would happen, why didn't the powers that be? I guess because they know nothing about the people the agency serves.
I wonder how much money SSA invested into system changes to allow for the creation of the passwords, only to shut the system down after a few weeks. At least some contractor got to buy a new boat out of the deal.
This reminds me of SSA's decision to cut off benefits to all of the Conn clients before any hearing. I predicted that SSA would withdraw that decision promptly, and I was right. Unfortunately, it took a couple of suicides before they did it.
This was a completely stupid decision, and it is no surprise that it was withdrawn. Requiring everyone to have a cell phone?? Really??
The quality of SSA decision making seems to be slipping. I don't remember this many obviously bad decisions in past years.
Remember when we were suspending benefits for people who admitted having a bank account but refused direct deposit? That didn't last long. Same old, same old.
How about denying someone because we show a different gender on their most recent social security number record? Especially when it appears to just be a type. Never used to be a problem until recently for any mismatch w/ NUMI query.
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