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)
^ 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
- Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy: SSA Continues to Approve Applicants, but Millions of Individuals Have Not Yet Applied
- GAO-08-812T, May 22, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 20 pages) Accessible Text
- Social Security Administration Field Offices: Reduced Workforce Faces Challenges as Baby Boomers Retire
- GAO-08-737T, May 8, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 30 pages) Accessible Text
- Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy: Additional Efforts Would Help Social Security Improve Outreach and Measure Program Effects
- GAO-07-555, May 31, 2007
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 50 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy: Progress Made in Approving Applications, but Ability to Identify Remaining Individuals Is Limited
- GAO-07-858T, May 8, 2007
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 20 pages) Accessible Text
