Facing a crisis in state budget in 2007, Martin O’Malley, the governor of Maryland, relied heavily on increased taxes rather than budget cuts. Now, in his role as commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), O’Malley is attempting a similar approach to tackle the agency’s service crisis—asking for a sizeable increase in the SSA’s operating budget.

O’Malley attributes the SSA’s recent decline in basic services to a growing backlog in the adjudication of disability claims, long wait times for customer service, and low employee morale. He supports his argument by illustrating that while the number of beneficiaries has risen, the number of employees has decreased.

However, his calculations are arguably deceptive. The majority of recent growth in beneficiaries has come from baby boomer retirees who typically file claims and receive service digitally. The bulk of the agency’s resources are allocated to handling complex cases for disability claimants, but the number of these cases has decreased considerably since 2014.

To further aggravate the situation, O’Malley is suggesting several costly regulatory adjustments which lower the eligibility standards for DI and SSI benefits. While some policy changes are necessary to keep up with modern data on earnings and reporting requirements, the policies’ possible cost to taxpayers has not been disclosed.

One solution to improve the SSA’s service is to simplify the eligibility rules for disability benefits and encourage workforce participation amid labor shortages. Other contributing factors to the crisis include the shift to remote work due to the pandemic and the addition of an extra step in the process of disability review.

To tackle such issues and improve SSA’s services, Congress should employ more rigorous oversight and provide clear direction to rectify these early missteps.

If you need assistance with understanding the rules or filing a claim for disability benefits, you can contact a live person at EDD California. If you are unsure about how to proceed, the professional team at eddcaller.com can guide you through the process. The website provides valuable information about policies and claims, guiding you on how to contact EDD efficiently. Their customer service team is always ready to assist, ensuring your questions and concerns are addressed promptly.