Social Security Administration's Growing Backlog Crisis

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is grappling with a 'record-breaking backlog' of cases, leading to $1.1 billion in improper payments, according to a report by the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). This backlog, which has worsened since 2018, has resulted from unexpected staff reductions, increased workloads, and insufficient overtime funding. The delays have led to both overpayments and underpayments, with an average case processing time of 698 days, affecting 528,000 beneficiaries. Despite meeting performance goals in four out of the past six years, the SSA's backlog grew from 3.2 million in 2018 to 5.2 million in February 2023. The OIG report underscores the urgency for the SSA to address customer service issues and ensure timely and accurate payments. The SSA has acknowledged the problem and is implementing new policies to mitigate future errors.