It says the agency in 2023 processed 81.4 percent of applications other than disability benefit claims in time for payment at the earliest point due. Image: Ron Adar/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe Social Security Administration has started publicly posting its data on key customer service metrics including wait times on its 800 number and processing time for applications for benefits.
The site (www.ssa.gov/SecurityStat) is part of an initiative launched in February that “brings top executives and subject matter experts together every two weeks to analyze data, identify problems and solutions, and follow through on necessary change,” the SSA said in an announcement.
For example, it shows that while average waiting times on the phone line had risen from 13.5 minutes in 2021 to 35.8 in 2023, the fiscal year to date average is 34, with 24.1 during April. “We experienced challenges in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 due to telephone agent attrition and delays transitioning to a new telephone system platform. Although we did hire agents in fiscal year 2023, it takes time for new agents to learn the full scope of their job,” the site says.
It says the agency in 2023 processed 81.4 percent of applications other than disability benefit claims in time for payment at the earliest point due, or within two weeks of filing for benefits if filed too late for payment at the earliest point due. That’s an improvement from 79.5 percent the year before but below the goal of 83 percent, and even farther below the 88.4 percent of 2017.
For disability claims, the site breaks down processing time for each stage of the process—showing an overall increase each year since 2017, with steeper increases starting in 2020.
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