Social Security Administration Field Offices: Reduced Workforce Faces Challenges as Baby Boomers Retire

Millions of people rely on the services of Social Security Admin. (SSA) field offices (FO). In FY 2008, SSA's 1,300 FO provided service to 44 million customers. People visit FO to apply for Social Security cards, apply for retirement and disability benefits, establish direct deposit, and other services. Over the last several years, staffing reductions have challenged FO ability to manage work while continuing to deliver quality customer service. To better understand the challenges SSA faces in delivering quality customer service, this report determined: (1) the effect that staffing reductions are having on FO operations; and (2) the challenges SSA faces in meeting service delivery needs in the future and the agency's plan for addressing them. Illustrations.

To help the elderly and disabled with prescription drug costs, the Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), which created a voluntary outpatient prescription drug benefit (Medicare Part D). A key element of the prescription drug benefit is the low-income subsidy, or ¿extra help,¿ available to Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and resources to assist them in paying their premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. To assess the Social Security Admin¿s. implementation of the subsidy, this report provides info. on: (1) the number of applicants approved for or denied the low-income subsidy; and (2) challenges of identifying individuals eligible for the subsidy and targeting outreach efforts.