Social Security rolls back on in-person attendance requirements: Here’s what will happen with phone services
Just days before a new Social Security Administration (SSA) policy was scheduled to take effect, the Trump administration has reversed course on a controversial requirement that would have forced many Americans to verify their identities in person.The reversal comes after mounting pressure from senior advocacy groups, disability organizations, and Democratic lawmakers, who warned that the rule would have created significant barriers for millions of vulnerable beneficiaries-particularly seniors living in rural or underserved areas.Technological upgrades prompt last-minute policy shiftOriginally announced last month, the policy would have discontinued widely used telephone services for those unable to use the SSA's online identity verification system, instead requiring them to travel to a local field office to complete their claims. But on Thursday, White House spokesperson Liz Huston confirmed that telephone-based services would remain available."President Trump has repeatedly promised to protect Social Security and uproot […]
