Dec 25, 2025
Dec 24, 2025
Dec 23, 2025
I Don't Think We Can Trust This Report
Back in July, Senator Elizabeth Warren asked that Social Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) perform an audit of Social Security's reported telephone call waiting times. The audit has now been completed and a report issued -- just before Christmas. The report says that the agency's metrics were accurate which is probably technically accurate but whether those metrics are fully meaningful is another question.
There are at least three problems with this report. First, there is zero reason to trust OIG. It no longer enjoys any independence. It doesn't report to the Commissioner but it does report to the White House. It is now clear that there can be no OIG reports at any agency which criticize the Administration. The release of such a critical report will be blocked and those who drafted it summarily fired. (Thank you, Supreme Court.) Second, the report admits that 25 million callers to Social Security became so frustrated by Social Security's answering system that they hung up. It didn't add these callers in to the phone answering metrics. If you do add them in you find out that they comprise a whopping 40% of calls to Social Security. That's a lot of frustrated callers. Third, many of the calls were handled by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) rather than a human. How effectively did IVR respond to requests for customer service? The agency reported a big jump in telephone calls this year. How much of that was due to failed IVR? Failed IVR also contributes to customer dissatisfaction.
Senator Warren is already accusing the Social Security of lying.
Dec 22, 2025
30+ Day Wait For In-Office Appointments
From CU-Citizen Access:
Getting an appointment at Champaign’s [Illinois] social security district office continues to take 30 days or more, but some recipients report that once they are at the office their needs are processed quickly.
Yet the wait can be frustrating and difficult.
Kiesha Jones, a Champaign resident, said she waited an hour and a half for her initial appointment at Champaign’s Social Security Office.
“They were like, we’re only taking appointments, you’ve got to call this number. I called the number and I couldn’t get through,” she said. “Once I got through, they made an appointment about 37 days out.” …
Despite her experience, a spokesperson for the Social Security Administration said in a December email to CU-CitizenAccess that most claim appointments for disability benefits are scheduled within a month.
“The Champaign, Illinois office currently schedules the vast majority of T2 disability, SSI Blind and Disabled, and aged claim appointments within 30 days of request,” the spokesperson said. …
Dec 21, 2025
Fair?
The National Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare is blaming changes made during the Trump Administration for SSA’s data systems crash last Wednesday. Is that fair? I don’t know. I do know that the agency’s data systems are at greater risk due to staffing cuts.
Dec 20, 2025
Dec 19, 2025
Unending Slime
I have to say just how much it galls me that the Commissioner of Social Security is a man as deficient in character as Frank Bisignano. Within a few months of leaving his old position as CEO of Fiserv, the new company management accused him of what amounts to a “pump and dump” scheme netting him hundreds of millions of dollars. In any other Administration Bisignano would have been forced to resign. In the Trump Administration it’s just another in an unending series of stories demonstrating how slimy many of Trump’s appointees are.
Dec 18, 2025
$1.3 Million Dollar Scam
From WGAL:
A social security imposter scammed two Lancaster County residents out of $1.3 million, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Troopers said two 78-year-olds from Providence Township fell victim to a person who posed as a Social Security Administration employee.
The unknown suspect told the victims that one of their Social Security numbers was compromised and they needed a new one, according to police.
Investigators said the imposter gave the victims detailed instructions to liquidate their retirement assets, stealing a total of $1,328,652.
The suspect used the money to purchase gold that was collected by unknown individuals as payment under the guise of purchasing a new Social Security number, according to police. …
Dec 17, 2025
Systems Problems
I’ve heard that Social Security is having large scale systems problems today but have no details. Can anyone fill me in?
4th Circuit Opinion Of Interest
Attorneys who represent Social Security disability claimants may find the recent decision of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Hultz v. Bisignano dealing with fibromyalgia in particular and subjective symptoms in general of interest. It’s a reversal awarding benefits so you know it’s a strong opinion. You don’t see many of these at the District Court level much less Court of Appeals.
The State Of Customer Service
The Social Security Administration has posted data showing the state of customer service at Social Security. I’m sure it’s as accurate and meaningful as the earnings projections made at Fiserv while Frank Bisignano was its CEO. Below is one of the charts from Social Security’s posting.
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