MW Social Security says some applicants are exempt from in-person office visits

By Angela Moore

Applicants for Medicare, disability and SSI can complete claims over the phone

The Social Security Administration on Wednesday said it would not require all people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income to come into an office to verify their identity in person.

Under the new rules, individuals applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Medicare or Supplemental Security Income $(SSI)$ who are not able to use a "my Social Security" online account can complete their claim entirely over the telephone without the need to come into an office.

This is a reversal for the Social Security Administration, which earlier this month said people seeking assistance with identity verification on benefit claims and direct-deposit changes would need to complete claims using their personal online account or would have to visit a Social Security office in person to prove their identity.

The SSA at the time said the requirement would cut down on fraud, but came on the heels of the agency's "massive" restructuring, which cut 12% of its workers and closed offices. Critics said it would make it harder for people to access their benefits - not all beneficiaries are comfortable using the internet or have access to reliable service, and for some beneficiaries, particularly those who are elderly or disabled, coming into an office is a hardship, especially with fewer offices open.

Read: Social Security pushes some beneficiaries to online or in-person meetings

"We have listened to our customers, Congress, advocates and others, and we are updating our policy to provide better customer service to the country's most vulnerable populations," Lee Dudek, the acting Social Security commissioner, said in a statement Wednesday.

Dudek said "multiple opportunities exist" to verify someone's identity, so the SSA will exempt Medicare, disability and SSI applicants from proving their identities in person.

Although most beneficiaries who aren't able to use their online SSA accounts will still need to visit an office for identity verification for benefit claims and direct-deposit changes, the agency extended the deadline for the change to April 14 from March 31 in order to properly train employees to assist beneficiaries.

More information about the agency's identity-verification requirements can be found here.

The SSA said it is requiring nearly all of its employees across the U.S. to work in the office five days a week to beef up staffing for the expected increase in office visits.

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency - or DOGE - has been attempting to root out what it calls "fraud, waste and abuse" in government agencies, including the SSA. In February, DOGE gained access to the Social Security database, including individuals' personally identifiable information without their consent. Social Security pays benefits to about 70 million Americans.

Last week, a judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE, which is overseen by Tesla $(TSLA)$ Chief Executive Elon Musk, from accessing sensitive Social Security data, and said they must delete any information they had obtained. Dudek wanted to shut down the SSA in response to the order, according to media reports, but Dudek later said he received more information from the court and would not do so.

President Donald Trump's nominee for Social Security commissioner, Fiserv $(FI)$ CEO Frank Bisignano, sat for his confirmation hearing on Tuesday and fielded questions on his plans for the beleaguered agency.

-Angela Moore

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March 26, 2025 18:48 ET (22:48 GMT)

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