Blab Politics
SSA Commissioner Bisignano Claims Service Improvements Amid Methodology Controversy
Frank Bisignano, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) commissioner, told a joint session of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Social Security and work and welfare subcommittees on Wednesday that the agency had turned a corner. He highlighted a dramatic drop in call‑center wait times and a new appointment‑focused service model he says will make customer interactions smoother.
Bisignano’s remarks were framed as a rebuke of the Biden administration and former SSA commissioner Martin O’Malley. He described the agency as having been in turmoil before his arrival in May 2025, noting that SSA had four different leaders in five months. He accused the previous administration of implementing a “failed service model” that turned away people who traveled to field offices.
O’Malley, who served as commissioner from December 2023 through January 2025, responded in an interview with Government Executive after the hearing. He said the agency specifically warned field‑office workers not to turn away any person seeking walk‑in service. He compared the approach to a prior initiative at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, stating that while appointments were encouraged, no one was ever refused.
A 2024 internal message to SSA employees about the Appointment Focused Service initiative confirms that field offices can and should continue to provide walk‑in service. The agency’s website still strongly encourages people to make appointments in advance, but it also states that it will not refuse in‑person service at field offices or card centers.
Bisignano also highlighted customer‑service metrics. He said the average speed of answer on the 800 number had fallen to under five minutes in May 2026, an 89% reduction from an all‑time monthly high of 42 minutes in fiscal year 2024. The agency’s written testimony presented that figure as evidence of a decade‑long improvement.
However, the 42‑minute average dates back to November 2023. By the end of 2024, SSA’s 1‑800 wait times had fallen to 12 minutes, according to the agency’s own performance reports. In addition, last summer Bisignano changed SSA’s methodology for calculating call wait times by omitting the time customers who elected to be called back rather than be put on hold, instead calculating their wait time as “zero.” The change has drawn criticism from SSA unions and advocacy groups, who argue that the new methodology inflates performance figures.
The appointment‑focused service initiative, launched in 2024, was intended to reduce wait times by encouraging Americans to schedule appointments by phone, video, or in‑office. The agency has stated that it will not refuse in‑person service at field offices, but the new methodology for measuring call wait times has complicated the assessment of whether the initiative is achieving its goals.
SSA’s performance metrics are contested by unions and advocacy groups, who argue that the methodology changes distort the data. The agency’s leadership has been under scrutiny since Bisignano’s confirmation by the Senate in May 2025, and the House Ways and Means Committee has indicated it may hold additional hearings to examine SSA’s service‑delivery reforms.
The agency’s performance on the 800 number remains a focus of congressional oversight and public scrutiny. While Bisignano claims a dramatic turnaround, the contested metrics and the agency’s ongoing leadership changes mean that the full impact of the appointment‑focused service model is still unclear.
At present, the SSA continues to promote appointments while maintaining walk‑in service at field offices. The agency’s next steps will likely involve further data collection and potential adjustments to the appointment‑focused service initiative. The House committee’s upcoming hearings will provide a forum for additional scrutiny of the agency’s service‑delivery reforms and the methodology used to report performance.
The situation remains fluid, with the SSA’s leadership, performance metrics, and service model under ongoing review by Congress, unions, and the public.
Bisignano’s remarks were framed as a rebuke of the Biden administration and former SSA commissioner Martin O’Malley. He described the agency as having been in turmoil before his arrival in May 2025, noting that SSA had four different leaders in five months. He accused the previous administration of implementing a “failed service model” that turned away people who traveled to field offices.
O’Malley, who served as commissioner from December 2023 through January 2025, responded in an interview with Government Executive after the hearing. He said the agency specifically warned field‑office workers not to turn away any person seeking walk‑in service. He compared the approach to a prior initiative at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, stating that while appointments were encouraged, no one was ever refused.
A 2024 internal message to SSA employees about the Appointment Focused Service initiative confirms that field offices can and should continue to provide walk‑in service. The agency’s website still strongly encourages people to make appointments in advance, but it also states that it will not refuse in‑person service at field offices or card centers.
Bisignano also highlighted customer‑service metrics. He said the average speed of answer on the 800 number had fallen to under five minutes in May 2026, an 89% reduction from an all‑time monthly high of 42 minutes in fiscal year 2024. The agency’s written testimony presented that figure as evidence of a decade‑long improvement.
However, the 42‑minute average dates back to November 2023. By the end of 2024, SSA’s 1‑800 wait times had fallen to 12 minutes, according to the agency’s own performance reports. In addition, last summer Bisignano changed SSA’s methodology for calculating call wait times by omitting the time customers who elected to be called back rather than be put on hold, instead calculating their wait time as “zero.” The change has drawn criticism from SSA unions and advocacy groups, who argue that the new methodology inflates performance figures.
The appointment‑focused service initiative, launched in 2024, was intended to reduce wait times by encouraging Americans to schedule appointments by phone, video, or in‑office. The agency has stated that it will not refuse in‑person service at field offices, but the new methodology for measuring call wait times has complicated the assessment of whether the initiative is achieving its goals.
SSA’s performance metrics are contested by unions and advocacy groups, who argue that the methodology changes distort the data. The agency’s leadership has been under scrutiny since Bisignano’s confirmation by the Senate in May 2025, and the House Ways and Means Committee has indicated it may hold additional hearings to examine SSA’s service‑delivery reforms.
The agency’s performance on the 800 number remains a focus of congressional oversight and public scrutiny. While Bisignano claims a dramatic turnaround, the contested metrics and the agency’s ongoing leadership changes mean that the full impact of the appointment‑focused service model is still unclear.
At present, the SSA continues to promote appointments while maintaining walk‑in service at field offices. The agency’s next steps will likely involve further data collection and potential adjustments to the appointment‑focused service initiative. The House committee’s upcoming hearings will provide a forum for additional scrutiny of the agency’s service‑delivery reforms and the methodology used to report performance.
The situation remains fluid, with the SSA’s leadership, performance metrics, and service model under ongoing review by Congress, unions, and the public.
