Overview

• The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling this week restored DOGE’s access to non-anonymized Social Security records to support modernization efforts.
• The agency has cut headcount from 57,000 to 52,000 this year under DOGE’s direction as staffing reductions continue.
• SSA plans to shift routine transactions like Social Security card replacements to digital portals and automated phone systems.
• Bisignano set targets to reduce average call wait times to 12 minutes and initial disability claim processing to 190 days by September 2026.
• Privacy advocates and former SSA staff warn that expanded data access and reliance on digital channels may disadvantage older beneficiaries and expose sensitive records.