COVID-19, Online Services

Social Security’s Plan to Better Serve You

July 16, 2020 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: June 23, 2021

We are committed to improving service to the millions of Americans who expect and deserve timely and accurate help from us.  This effort requires that we modernize our technology so we can provide our employees with effective, easy-to-use tools that help them do their job well.  As the COVID-19 pandemic has also underscored, we must offer additional online, remote service, and self-service options that you expect from organizations today.

While such service options depend on modern technology, many of our systems are more than 30 years old.  Thus, nearly two years ago, we initiated a multi-year Information Technology (IT) Modernization Plan to replace our outdated systems with updated technology that enhances our service capabilities.  We have updated this plan to build on the tremendous progress we have made over the past two years and to reflect input from public and private technology experts, our frontline employees, and most importantly, from our interactions with you.

This update enhances our focus on improving our services online, over the telephone, and in our local offices.  We are also committed to ensuring that the service options we offer are both secure and easily accessible.  Currently, it is too hard for many people to prove who they are to access our online services, which is why we have made improving our my Social Security account registration process a foundation of our modernization efforts.

We will continue to review our IT Modernization plans to make sure that they are flexible enough to keep up with rapid technology change and future customer needs so that we deliver on your expectations. I invite you to read our IT Modernization plan and the 2020 Update.

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About the Author

Andrew Saul, Commissioner, Social Security Administration

Commissioner of Social Security Administration (June 17, 2019 - July 9, 2021)

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Comments

  1. Donaldo C.

    I like to know about my total
    Monthly pinsion ,

  2. Ted D.

    I have not yet received by Form 7162. Could you please connect with me via email?

    • V.V.

      Hello Ted, beneficiaries living abroad receive the SSA-7162 annually or biannually depending upon the countries in which they reside. Unfortunately, the SSA-7162 is not currently available online and cannot be emailed to you.

      We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit in the area for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.

  3. Mr T.

    My received your department ssa issued my benefits retirement plan.gov on!

  4. Roxanne M.

    Why did the payment for Medicare for my cousin Carol’s Social Security get suspended. She recieved a notice that SS would no longer pay for it and then another notice saying they would and this week she got another notice saying they won’t. Carol is 84 and says that Medicare has always been paid for through her SS. This action will cost her over $100. She is barely able to make her rent and food as it is. What is going on?

  5. Gary L.

    I live outside the USA so the last time I tried to open a My Social Security account I was denied because I live in Mexico. Has that policy been changed? Greetings

    • V.V.

      Hi Gary, thank you for your question. At this time you still must have a U. S. mailing address to create or access your online account. The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for issuing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet.

      We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit in the area for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.

  6. Randy L.

    Yes, you need to modernized. Stop acting like your a branch of a tyrannical government.

    I got a guestion about Medicare. SSA says, oh contact Medicare. Uh, I did, they said call SSA and give me this number. Well, we can’t help you. Call them back again.

    This is very poor service.

    I, as a group of the part of the government that pays you, should demand you resign.

    The complexity of how Medicare and SSA intertwine is beyond the understanding of its employees and therefore a road block blocking the people from answers.

    I send money to Medicare, I call Medicare, Medicare says call SSA. What? SSA says, we don’t know if Medicare received the money. What?

    I can’t even figure it out online. I need to pay part b. Online it looks like all is paid. Tricare says not so fast. We can’t cover you because you have no part b. So how/who should notify tricare that I have part b? I dunno.

    What a mess.

    As soon as I found out my part b was delinquent, and I found out from tricare not Medicare, I used my bank to send a “Bill Pay” of approximately $800 to Medicare. Medicare put me in Medicare jail for being late, canceled my tricare, and told me I have to wait for an open season and pay all back pay plus a lifetime penalty. What? By the way, what is open season? Is this some kind of hunting for wild game?

    I was late because I misunderstood the system, I received no bill from Medicare, I was out of the country, and covid-19 happened. Believe me, if I had known my bill was due in January, (I think) I would have paid it. So when I found out, I found it nearly impossible to pay Medicare. They wouldn’t take my credit card number over the phone, there was no online payment option. What? I sent them a bill pay. The check is still not cashed. They claim they are going to deduct it from my SS payment. Now get this, I tried when I signed up for Medicare to have my part b paid for using auto pay. Medicare, denied me that option. Auto pay can only come from SS. What? So don’t blame me for late payments.

    SS, I signed up for SS late May 2020. I receive a full monthly benefit early in June. Somewhere it states I will be paid on the 4th Wednesday of the month. Is the 5th of the month the fourth Wednesday? So I figure it’s a late payment due for May. However, I read you pay a month late. So my May SS should be paid late June not early June. But, I’m expecting a late June payment to follow my early June payment that was just late due to my late May filing. I don’t receive a June payment at all. My official SS start date is May 1st. I should receive a payment for May on the 4th Wednesday and June on the fourth Wednesday. Didn’t happen. You all didn’t follow your own rules. How can you pay me within days of signing up then the next month withhold a payment? What?

    I bet you have no idea who should take charge of this comment, Medicare or SSA.

    So I tap, post the comment. No idea if it posted so I’m tapping again. Still don’t know if it posted. No error code, no success statement. What?

  7. Walt

    All SSA field offices with under 10 employee should be disbanded, as they are too expensive to operate, like having guards in dinky offices…

  8. Cynthia C.

    I applied for S.S. in February. When I look on My Social Security it states in progress. It has gone through stages 1 and 2 just waiting for it to complete. The person that is handling my case does not call back. This person was really good communicating with at first but now nothing. I called my local office a month ago and was told something to the effect my claim was held up at the payment office. I would like to know when my payments will start and does it usually take 5 months or more? All documents they needed were sent and returned to me.
    Best Regards,
    Cynthia

    • V.V.

      Hi Cynthia, thanks for using our blog. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. We recommend you continue to work with your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.

  9. Fred T.

    Social Security Administration needs to open all local office like the rest of the American workers going back to work. I have issue with my correct name on my account and even SS HQ in DC states it better to handle at local level than website to HQ. Thanks

  10. Barbara G.

    Is the SS office in Portland OR open yet? If so, what are the hours? Do we need an appointment?
    Thanks for the comment space.

    • V.V.

      Our offices remain closed to the public for face-to-face service. We are still able to provide critical services via phone, fax and online. For more information and to subscribe for updates, visit here. Thanks!

Comments are closed.