It’s difficult not to be bemused by the announcement that Social Security have begun a “multi-year effort to simplify the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application process” but perhaps we should be grateful that that first step in that thousand mile journey has been made.
The innovation the agency wishes to work towards implementation is to put the application on-line. An applicant could then apply for SSDI and SSI without having to give their demographic and basic eligibility details twice. The kernel of an idea also includes broadening the option to all applicants and not only to US citizens who are unmarried and between the ages of 18 and 64.
You can almost sense the light bulb above the proposal writer’s head when she asserts that this new system will also save the applicant time as they won’t have to wait for an appointment with an SSA representative. Even as we stagger at this revelation, we are cautioned that it will only be ‘somewhat faster’.
You can read the full document and have the opportunity to offer comments here 2023-16994.pdf (federalregister.gov)