Overview

• The Social Security Administration (SSA) has delayed implementing stricter identity verification rules from March 31 to April 14, 2025, following public and legislative criticism.
• Medicare, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applicants are now exempt from in-person verification requirements under the revised policy.
• The new rules, aimed at reducing fraud, will require most beneficiaries to verify their identity either online or at a field office, eliminating phone-based verification for certain services.
• Advocates and lawmakers have raised concerns about accessibility issues, particularly for elderly, rural, and disabled populations, as the SSA simultaneously reduces its workforce and closes 47 field offices nationwide.
• The SSA has expedited direct deposit changes to one business day and stated that exceptions will be made in extreme cases, such as terminal illnesses or prisoner pre-release scenarios.