Recommendations of the Editorial team
Elon Musks so -called “Department of Government Efficiency (Doge)” plans to make the telephone support services of the “Social security Administration ”.
According to a seeped memothe popular information received and later from Axios was reportedthe incumbent deputy SSA commissioner Doris Diaz proposed to expand social security claims to expand an additional online identity examination. Reason: This should be done against alleged payment fraud.
In reality, social security fraud is rare. And between 2015 and 2022, less than 1 percent of the payments. According to Diaz, the additional identity examination could lead to longer waiting times. And possibly delay or refuse the services for seniors in need of protection.
Recipients of social benefits must already go through an identity examination process
In the leaked memo, Diaz suggests that the SSA uses “the current Internet identity examination for the authority’s benefits and telephone changes to direct deposits. In cases in which a customer is unable to use the Internet identity examination, he must visit an outdoor office in order to personally submit documents for identification.”
Recipients of social benefits must already go through an identity examination process if they take advantage of the authority’s telephone service. Discreps with the sending of copies of ID documents for checking to the SSA are usually solved by sending copies. A former SSA official told to Axiosthat the memo was created by Doge at the request.
Sounds terrible, so why the whole thing?
A personal review, as Diaz himself wrote, would lead to “75,000 to 85,000 additional visitors per week”. In the SSA offices. And this leads to “longer waiting and processing times”, “increased challenges for endangered population groups”, a higher demand for “resources, personnel and system updates” as well as “higher costs for identity checks and potential budget passes”.
Sounds terrible, so why the whole thing? Well, the most likely result would be that thousands of people no longer receive social security benefits. Either through delays, roadblocks or the impossibility of taking advantage of personal services. Fewer payments mean fewer expenses for social security. And that is ultimately the goal of the Trump government.
Last week, as Rumors circulatedThe authority published the fact that the SSA telephone services would be fully stopped. In it she informed that the telephone services would continue to be available. “The SSA increases the protection for America’s seniors and other beneficiaries. It eliminates the risk of fraud in connection with the telephone change of bank account details,” wrote the authority.
“The biggest snowball system ever”
The idea of Doge into the SSA has already caused devastating damage in the authority. Musk described the program as “the biggest snowball system ever”. And wrongly claimedthat millions of payments go to dead people who are over 120 years old. Ten SSA branches were already closed. Musk plans cuts of over $ 700 billion for claims programs such as social security and medicaid.
As already from the Rolling Stone reported,, The Trump government also plans to pass on the costs for overpayments and other errors from SSA officials to the elderly. At the beginning of this month, Interims SSA boss Leland Dudek announced that the authority will increase the amount that you will retain from social security recipients who have received too much. Possibly the entire check amount. For the millions of older Americans who rely on social security to make ends meet, an error by the government could lead to a devastating punishment.
In essence, the Trump government’s plan seems to shorten social security, to make it difficult to make access to social benefits difficult. And increase the amount that you can withhold from the recipients.
“They will be held accountable”
There are also questions about what kind of access Musk and Doge have on the stocks of sensitive personal data. So those that are saved and managed by the SSA. In February The incumbent social security commissioner Michelle King from your post back. She had refused to give representatives from Doge access to systems that contain sensitive recipient data. There were similar conflicts from other authorities, including the Ministry of Finance.
On Tuesday, leading Democrats in the House Oversight Committee asked Musk and the Trump administration to meet an application according to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Details were missing about who really is in charge at Doge. Details on the scope of his authority to conclude federal authorities and to dismiss more than 100,000 federal employees. As well as details about the scope of its access to the most sensitive government of the government. And whether Doge serves the interests of the American people or the interests of the companies of Mr. Musk and his foreign customers. ”
“The President, Musk, and Doge can and will be held accountable to the American people, the original and highest source of all sovereign power in the United States.”