Addressing Delivery Challenges

SSA has just begun the challenge of delivering retirement and disability benefits to the nation's 80 million aging baby boomers. At the same time, the agency has taken on additional responsibilities and faces major challenges, such as

• helping to administer the Medicare prescription drug program and verifying employees' authorization to work.

  Highlights of GAO-08-812T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-555 (PDF), and Highlights of GAO-07-858T (PDF)

• performing its field office program integrity activities: customers are waiting longer in line, and field offices often do not answer their phones.

  Highlights of GAO-08-737T (PDF)

• a large portion of SSA's workforce will retire in the next several years, and anticipated increases in service delivery demands may necessitate information technology enhancements. SSA has conducted extensive analyses of future staff retirements and has used a variety of strategies to hire and retain older workers, but it has made decisions about succession planning and allowed early retirements without a concrete service delivery plan to detail how and where it will provide services in the future.

  Highlights of GAO-08-630T (PDF)

• Aspects of SSA's service delivery at field offices have declined in recent years. From fiscal year 2002 to 2006, the average time customers waited in a field office to speak with an SSA representative increased by 40 percent from 15 to 21 minutes. In fiscal year 2008, more than 3 million customers waited for over 1 hour to be served. Further, SSA's 2007 Field Office Caller Survey found that 51 percent of customers calling selected field offices had at least one earlier call that had gone unanswered. Overall these factors may have contributed to a 3 percent drop in SSA's overall customer satisfaction, from 84 percent in fiscal year 2005 to 81 percent in fiscal year 2008.

  Highlights of GAO-09-511T (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

• In light of growing work demands and budget constraints, it is important that SSA plan a clear direction for managing future service delivery challenges to ensure quality customer service. SSA needs a specific long-term plan that spells out what resources will be required to meet its service delivery needs.

  Highlights of GAO-08-737T (PDF)

• As SSA expands its electronic service delivery options and customers increasingly take advantage of them, SSA may need to reconsider the agency's field office structure.

  Highlights of GAO-08-737T (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

Social Security Administration

Social Security Administration Field Offices

Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy

Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy

Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy

More Reports