Overview

• The Social Security Administration will implement new identity verification protocols on March 31, requiring claimants to verify identities online or in person, ending phone-based verification.
• Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income claimants are now exempt from the stricter in-person verification rules after public and congressional pressure.
• The changes aim to combat fraud, which diverted $33.5 million in benefits from 2013 to 2018, but critics warn of barriers for rural, elderly, and disabled populations.
• SSA officials anticipate an additional 75,000 to 85,000 weekly visits to field offices, raising concerns about delays and staffing shortages.
• Updates on digital verification tools and further adjustments to the policy are expected in April as the SSA monitors the rollout's impact.