Sen. Maggie Hassan demands Social Security restore performance data after wait times spike and dashboard changes prompt concern.

Senator Hassan Calls for Transparency at Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is facing mounting scrutiny from lawmakers after a sharp increase in caller wait times and the removal of a popular online tracking tool from its public dashboard. On Thursday, Senator Maggie Hassan, the top Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, sent a letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano demanding answers regarding changes to performance metrics and the agency’s approach to customer service.

Hassan’s letter, sent to agency headquarters in Baltimore, outlined “serious concerns” about the SSA’s decision to overhaul its dashboard, which previously offered real-time and historical data on wait times, callback rates, and processing times for retirement, survivor, disability, and Medicare benefits. According to Hassan, the new version lacks crucial information and makes it harder for seniors and other beneficiaries to navigate the benefits process. She also questioned the role of recent federal workforce reductions, attributed to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and their impact on service quality.

“These data and other metrics provide critical insight into the performance of your agency and served as guideposts for seniors and other beneficiaries navigating the benefits process,” Hassan wrote, noting that call wait times and field office casework data are now less accessible. The senator referenced both a Washington Post report and an independent analysis by the Joint Economic Committee’s minority staff, raising further doubts about transparency.

Hassan pressed for the immediate restoration of all previous metrics to the SSA’s dashboard, citing the need for the public to have access to key performance indicators. She specifically requested a real-time report by 5PM ET on Thursday, including current callback and wait times and state-specific data for New Hampshire.

SSA Defends Changes, Promises Improvement

The SSA responded by calling the claims in the Washington Post “false” and argued that the majority of callers—about 42 percent—complete their business using automated systems, while 75 percent use a callback feature to avoid long holds. SSA spokesperson Stephen McGraw reported that the average speed of answer was about 19 minutes this year, improving from earlier months, and that trends are expected to continue getting better. In May, wait times dropped to an average of 12 minutes compared to 30 minutes in January.

Commissioner Bisignano, who has led a push for a digital-first, technology-led SSA, emphasized that increased staffing is not a long-term solution. He supported upgrading legacy tech systems and highlighted efforts to improve employee satisfaction, citing SSA’s historically low rankings among federal agencies. Bisignano also echoed the DOGE agenda to modernize IT infrastructure, including replacing the decades-old COBOL system.

However, Hassan argued that beneficiaries have faced disruptions, error messages, and failures in appointment tools at field offices nationwide. She attributed some of these challenges to DOGE-led staffing cuts—about 7,000 jobs since 2023, including 4,000 voluntary departures—and called for greater oversight as nearly one-fifth of New Hampshire’s population relies on Social Security benefits.

The dispute underscores ongoing tensions over how the SSA balances efficiency, transparency, and customer service for millions of Americans who depend on its programs. The agency says it is updating metrics to better reflect “real-life experiences” and ensure customers get the information they need. The coming weeks may bring more answers as lawmakers continue to press for accountability and data clarity.