This story has been modified by Empire staff to include a paragraph noting Alaska-specific impacts.
The Social Security Administration said on Tuesday that people seeking retirement or survivor benefits could continue to file applications over the phone, reversing a much criticized change that was expected to force tens of thousands of Americans to visit offices in person each week.
The agency has been in a state of tumult ever since Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency arrived inside its headquarters, enacting deep staff cuts and other policy and technical changes, which has caused widespread anxiety and confusion among both employees and beneficiaries.
The planned restriction on phone services was one of those changes: Social Security said last month that individuals could no longer file for benefits or make changes to direct deposit banking over the phone. The policy, which was to take effect on April 14, was announced as part of a broader effort to reduce fraud, particularly around direct deposits. But the change came as Mr. Musk and other administration officials repeatedly exaggerated fraud levels to the public — providing no evidence for their claims.
“The agency has assessed cases of widespread fraud in teleclaims and found minimal instances,” Doris Diaz, the agency’s acting deputy commissioner for operations, said in an April 7 memo obtained by The New York Times, to Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner.
In Alaska the changes would have meant people could apply only online, or in person at offices in Juneau, Anchorage or Fairbanks. Numerous state officials, including Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, said that would have a disproportionately high adverse impact on rural residents where both internet services and transporation is limited and costly.
After backlash from beneficiary advocates and lawmakers, who pointed out that phone restrictions would route more people to field offices as their staff levels were being cut, the phone restrictions were partly rolled back. Less than two weeks after the change was announced, the agency said it would allow people to use the phone to file for disability, Supplemental Security Income and Medicare. Those filing for retirement or survivors benefits, however, were still required to file online or in a field office.
But now, those restrictions have largely been reversed. Everyone, including those filing for retirement or survivor claims, will be able to do so over the phone, unless their files are flagged as being suspicious. (In that case, individuals will need to provide identification in person, just as they do when online claims are flagged.) Beneficiaries looking to make changes to their direct deposit accounts, however, will need to do so either online or in person at a field office.
To strengthen its fraud capabilities for many telephone claims, the memo suggested installing a fraud analytic tool by April 14. A White House official said the agency’s anti-fraud team established new technological capabilities quickly, and its updated software allowed it to perform fraud checks on phone claims.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Social Security Administration is taking bold steps to transform how they serve the public — improving frontline customer service, modernizing their technology, protecting beneficiaries and securing the integrity of their programs,” said Liz Huston, a White House spokeswoman.
The Social Security Administration estimated that it might flag roughly 70,000 of an estimated 4.5 million annual claims filed, according to a post on X, the social media service owned by Mr. Musk.
“Telephone remains a viable option for the public,” the agency said, fully reversing its stance from less than a month prior.
• This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
