The Senate Appropriations Committee recently released its fiscal year 2022 appropriation bill that calls for close to $1 billion in funding for the Social Security Administration. The bill also includes recommendations for Social Security, including recommendations related to offering more in-person services at the agency. The Senate version of the bill asks for about the same amount of funding as a companion bill in the U.S. House, but there are differences the two chambers will have to work out. Below is a brief description of the Social Security items included in the bill.
Delayed Disability Payments — The delayed payment of Social Security Disability Insurance claims can create a significant burden on claimants. The Committee requests a briefing within 90 days of enactment on the issues that can result in delayed payments, and the polices SSA has implemented, or has considered, to streamline the disability payments’ process.
Disability Hearing and Initial Claims Backlogs — The Committee commends SSA for the progress it has made reducing the average disability hearing processing time and the disability hearing backlog. The Committee recommendation combined with investments in recent years will help SSA stay on schedule to eliminate the backlog in fiscal year 2022 and further reduce the average disability hearing processing time. At the same time COVID–19 has created significant challenges for SSA, and has contributed to a growing backlog of initial disability claims. The Committee recommendation will support additional hires for Disability Determination Services to help address the growing backlog and an estimated increase in initial claims. The Committee requests a briefing within 60 days of enactment, and quarterly thereafter, on its progress towards reducing initial disability claim and hearings processing times and backlogs.
Field Offices Closures — The Committee remains concerned about decisions to permanently close field offices and the impact on the public. The Committee encourages SSA to find an appropriate balance between in-person field office services and online services for beneficiaries. While the SSA’s Inspector General reviews decisions to close field offices, the Committee directs SSA to take every action possible to maintain operations at the offices under review.
