This week, officials from the Social Security Administration partially walked back plans from the Trump administration that would have required beneficiaries to prove their identity in-person. Officials said Wednesday that they plan to exempt people who apply for Medicare and disability benefits from in-person verification.
NANCY ALTMAN; lbenesch@socialsecurityworks.org
Altman is president of Social Security Works.
Altman told the Institute for Public Accuracy: “Americans are rightfully furious about the Trump administration making it harder for them to access their earned Social Security benefits. They are making their voices heard at town halls and rallies across the country, and calling their members of Congress. Now, they’ve forced the White House to partly walk back a needless burden.
“The Trump administration is now delaying plans to needlessly force millions of additional Americans into understaffed, overcrowded field offices for in-person verification. They are also exempting people applying for Medicare and disability benefits from the requirements.
“This is just a starting point. The damage the Trump administration is doing to Social Security remains immense. The White House needs to roll back all of these senseless burdens, cancel plans to close dozens of field offices, and fully staff the Social Security Administration instead of pushing out thousands of employees.
“Even this partial victory shows that when the American people fight for our Social Security, we can win. We are only going to get louder.”