Social Security changes have Minnesotans worrying and waiting

Discouraged by several hours-long waits on hold to make changes to the federal withholding on his Social Security payment — and unable to log in to his online account — retired teacher Lonnie Duberstein decided to make the 15-minute drive to his local office and do it in person.

That was a miscalculation.

After waiting in line with about 20 other people, Duberstein said he was approached by a friendly police officer who suggested he call a different number. There, in the parking lot, he called ... and waited ... and waited ... and was disconnected.

He has yet to make the changes to his account.

"Next time, I'm going to wait in line as long as it takes," Duberstein said. "Maybe bring lunch."

Thousands more people may soon face the same choice. Senior advocates are warning of many possible issues facing Minnesotans as the Social Security Administration heads toward a new policy April 14 for people enrolling or making changes to their retirement benefits.

Maintaining that the change was needed to combat fraud, Social Security officials announced that most recipients will need to enroll or make changes online or in person, instead of over the phone.

"This will result in huge, huge inconveniences and longer wait times to resolve even some simple needs," said Cathy McLeer, Minnesota state director for AARP. People in rural areas with spotty Internet access will face real hurdles, she added.

"This is such a vital piece of people's financial security in retirement," she said. "This is an incredibly important program, and we need to make sure people have easy access to those benefits that they've earned."

AARP Minnesota has been getting dozens of phone calls from people who are concerned and confused about the changes, she said, and the national office has been hearing from thousands of older Americans. They have been pushing the Social Security Administration to reverse the decision or for Congress to step in.

One in five Minnesotans receives Social Security benefits, McLeer said.

On March 18, Social Security officials announced new identity proofing requirements to "further safeguard Social Security records and benefits against fraudulent activity."

New retirees filing for benefits and those seeking direct deposit changes who are unable to use their online "my Social Security" account will need to visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity in person, officials announced.

"Americans deserve to have their Social Security records protected with the utmost integrity and vigilance," Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of Social Security, said in a statement. "For far too long, the agency has used antiquated methods for proving identity. Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting service."

While officials said a transition plan includes training frontline employees and managers about the new policy, those who work with and for seniors fear the changes will exacerbate issues in system that has become increasingly slow and bogged down. And, for some, it will mean much more time on the road.

For example, McLeer said, someone in Warroad or Roseau in northern Minnesota may have to travel 130 miles to the Social Security Administration office in Bemidji, while in southern Minnesota, a Luverne resident would have to trek more than an hour to Marshall or Fairmont, she said.

Kate Lang, director of Federal Income Security for Justice in Aging in Washington, D.C., said efforts to combat fraud are needed and welcome.

People used to be able to call in with their direct deposit banking information, a real vulnerability, she said. Fraudsters with personal information could divert someone's funds to their own accounts.

"It's a legitimate problem they're trying to address," Lang said in an interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune.

But for people applying for benefits for the first time or families seeking survivor benefits, she said the new requirements could delay benefit payments by months. Four million people retire every year, she added.

"I'm concerned about the people who don't have good Internet at home ... and live far from an office," Lang said.

The change, she said, will wind up affecting all recipients because wait times will grow even longer as in-person appointment slots fill more quickly.

On March 26, the Social Security Administration announced that it would continue allowing people to apply for disability benefits over the phone. But the changes will still apply for disabled people seeking to change their direct deposit information, said Chris Freiberg, an attorney at Midwest Disability.

The process to verify an identity for someone applying for benefits by phone was pretty simple, he said. But the online system can get complicated, particularly for the elderly and those with disabilities, he said.

While he acknowledged the value of combatting fraud, Freiberg said this is not the way to go about it.

"I've never even heard of someone trying to collect benefits based on somebody else," he said. "This is simply not even what the issue is."

The verification changes combined with the Social Security Administration's plan to cut 7,000 jobs mean the wait times will only get worse, he said.

In an email, Sarah Soucie Eyberg, a Minnesota attorney representing people claiming disability benefits, said setting up an account online is not easy, "nor is it viable for unhoused people, seniors and others without Internet or computer access."

She said Social Security officials rolled these changes out without a clear plan.

"In short, a terrible policy that SSA lacks the resources to get off the ground and will only result in mistakes and delays for some of our most vulnerable populations," she said.

Eric Martinez, an SSA spokesman based in Chicago, said in an email that: "Any American who is eligible to receive Social Security benefits will continue to receive them. We are focused on our mission of paying the right person the right amount at the right time."

In addition, he wrote, "SSA recently required nearly all agency employees, including frontline employees in all offices throughout the country, to work in the office five days a week. This change ensures maximum staffing is available to better serve the American people."

Reports of Social Security offices being closed are false, he said.

However, according to the Washington Post, the Social Security Administration is planning layoffs in addition to buyouts this month at field offices across the country, including at Minnesota's Rochester and Alexandria field offices.

That worries Robert, who retired a few years ago after a career in accounting and finance. The Rosemount man did not want his last name used for fear of online harassment.

Forced to go into his local Social Security office multiple times over the last few years to clear up confusion about his high Medicare premiums, he worries that more reductions in staffing will lead to additional mistakes — and lost money that should be going in seniors' pockets.

"If you lose that office, or continue to downsize, it could lead to real problems," he said. "When you're retired, a couple hundred bucks [per month] is kind of a big deal."