Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is calling out the Social Security Administration (SSA) for what has been described as failures deeply impacting the lives of many Arizonans. According to a press release published by the Attorney General's office, Mayes sent a letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano urging swift action to correct service breakdowns that have left seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents without crucial benefits.
Reports have been pouring in since March, indicating that Arizonans have been unable to access their deserved benefits, with claims of seven-hour phone hold times and SSA field offices turning away walk-ins. "The Social Security Administration is failing the very people it was created to serve," Mayes stated in the letter, as reported by the Attorney General's office. Residents have faced challenges ranging from disruptions in phone and online services to delays in updating banking information or appealing wrongful benefit suspensions.
These issues have heightened frustrations for those dependent on SSA services, particularly as they stem from workforce cuts and the elimination of valuable service offices. Moreover, Mayes addressed misleading narratives that have contributed to a decline in service quality, stating that, according to the SSA's Inspector General, less than 1% of payments over a seven-year period were improper. This debunk completely throws into question the validity of recent service rollbacks.
Mayes's communication with Bisignano aimed to unequivocally convey the gravity of the situation. "Arizonans deserve a Social Security Administration that works — not one hollowed out by misinformation, mismanagement, and neglect," she said, as mentioned in the same press release. She urged the administration to quickly take steps to restore the level of service that lawfully should be expected by the people of Arizona.
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