The Social Security Administration is stopping implementing a plan that would have dramatically affected recipients’ access to critical benefits and information.
A-A-R-P Iowa has been pushing back on the plan, reminding Washington lawmakers that thousands of Iowans rely on Social Security and need to be able to access their benefits and receive timely customer service. State Director Michael Wagler says A-A-R-P Iowa is working to make sure that older Iowans continue to get the information they need, and that while it is good news the agency has stopped the proposed changes, doing so adds to the uncertainty around restructuring plans that include staff reductions, office closures, and other changes…
The proposed changes were scheduled to take effect in less than a week, but the agency announced that all claims will still be allowed to be processed over the phone, at least for now. The latest data show that more than 687-thousand Iowans receive one-point-two billion dollars a year in Social Security benefits.
Beyond the logistical challenges, Wagler says uncertainty and confusion also create opportunities for criminals…
A-A-R-P says its members have sent more than a million emails and calls to Congress in recent weeks to push back on the proposed changes and their negative impacts on customer service for the 69 million older Americans who rely on Social Security.
(credit to Iowa News Service)
