The Social Security Administration is preparing to release an updated application for Supplemental Security Income benefits. (Disability Scoop)
New efforts are underway to streamline the application process for Supplemental Security Income benefits.
The Social Security Administration said late last month that it will launch a fully online SSI application that includes user-tested, plain-language questions. The updated version will auto-complete answers when possible and include seamless transitions, among other improvements.
The changes, known as iClaim expansion, are intended to reduce the time it takes to file and speed up initial decisions on claims, officials said.
Advertisement – Continue reading below
“Over the past year, we have asked many applicants and advocates, as well as our workers, how we could make the SSI application process easier and simpler. Now, we are taking an important first step toward making that happen,” said Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley. “People in our communities who need this crucial safety net deserve the dignity of an application process that is less burdensome and more accessible than the one we have now, and we are committed to making that vision a reality in the years ahead.”
The updated application will be available starting in December for first-time applicants between the ages of 18 and 65 who have never been married and who want to receive Social Security and SSI benefits. It is expected to be expanded to all applicants by the end of 2025.
Looking ahead, Social Security officials said they plan to make improvements based on what people tell their customer service team. The agency hopes to leverage what it learned from expanding iClaim to improve the in-person, phone, mobile and paper processes for applying for SSI.
“The SSI program legally requires SSA to request large amounts of information from SSI applicants in order to make accurate eligibility and payment decisions,” officials said in a statement. warning about the updates. “The SSI program framework will not change regardless of the type of application applicants must complete. However, we recognize that the current process is cumbersome and challenging for the public, and we are doing what we can to reduce this burden and improve access to SSI.”
Approximately 7.5 million Americans, including many with disabilities, receive SSI each month.
Read more stories like this. Sign up for Disability Scoop’s free email newsletter to receive the latest developmental disability news directly to your inbox.
