Most of us have experienced long hold times or dropped calls when trying to get through to a customer service agent. You may have even received incorrect information the first time you called and had to start the process all over again.
Unfortunately, this is what many people who are trying to reach the Social Security Administration (SSA) experience.
Millions of older Illinois residents, people with disabilities and their families rely on Social Security. And they should also be able to rely on quality customer service to get their questions answered or get information on the status of their disability claim — whether online, in person or over the phone.
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Last year, almost half of the 151 million calls to the SSA’s national 1-800 number and field offices went unanswered, including 16.4 million callers who gave up while waiting. So far this year, almost one-third of calls to SSA’s local field offices across the country have not been answered.
For those who have been able to get through, they are waiting an average of 34 minutes for someone to pick up on the other end — more than 10 times longer than a decade ago. Americans who file for disability assistance now wait over 200 days on average for an initial decision.
And no one wants a repeat of last year, with customers having to wait in long lines outside of SSA field offices in the heat of the summer.
Seniors, people with disabilities and AARP are fed up with the SSA’s poor service. There is no excuse for failing to provide people with the services they need and answers to questions about the Social Security they’ve earned and now need to pay for basic living expenses. In Illinois, 1,832,931 people 65 and older rely on the program.
Over the past year, AARP members have sent Congress more than 200,000 emails urging increased funding for the SSA to improve customer service. Now, AARP is asking Congress to provide at least $15 billion in funding for long-overdue improvements to their egregious customer service problems, so seniors and people with disabilities can get accurate information when they need it. It’s about time.
Philippe Largent, AARP Illinois state director
No room for radicalism in U.S.
With each passing day it becomes more and more of a challenge to understand the political climate in this country. We have a former president under indictment for possibly endangering the nation’s safety and national security. Why are people not only willing to support him but to send a self-proclaimed multi-millionaire money for his defense fund?
The hardest thing to understand, though, is why the party continues to rally in his support. The Republican Party seems to be targeting cuts in Medicare and Social Security, which would most negatively impact the people who comprise the hardcore basis of their support.
Then you have individuals like former Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, who recently was quoted as saying, “It’s an honor to stand with this man.” You would hope Bailey got the message when he was soundly defeated in the last election. That type of politics does not play well in this state.
Having studied and taught history for many years, one thing I have learned is extremism may burn brightly but only for a short time. As Republicans trip over each other proposing more outlandish actions, one would hope that very shortly they will realize their folly and return to the more reasonable and beneficial precepts of good governing.
There is no place for this type of radical extremism in a country of personal freedoms and liberties.
Daniel Pupo, Orland Park
