cover of episode Long waits, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down

Long waits, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down

2025/4/9
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@Colby Itkowitz : 本期节目讨论了特朗普政府和马斯克试图削减社安局开支,导致服务质量下降以及民众担忧的问题。 特朗普政府声称不会削减社保福利,但服务质量却在恶化,电话等待时间过长,网站崩溃,民众难以获得帮助。 @Lisa Rein : 社安局是美国最大的福利项目之一,提供退休金和残疾福利。社安局的代理专员被突然撤换,取而代之的是一个在反欺诈部门工作的低级别员工,并与马斯克的团队分享信息,导致原领导被解雇。新任代理专员迅速裁员,声称是为了加强一线员工队伍,但实际效果并不理想。马斯克的团队在社安局的行动比其他政府部门更积极,被一些人视为恶意收购。马斯克最初声称在社安局发现了大规模欺诈行为,但这一说法被夸大了。社安局的欺诈和不当支付比例很低,不足1%。社安局的网站、电话服务和现场办公室预约都出现了严重问题,许多领取社安金的人因为服务质量下降而感到恐慌。社安局承认电话服务存在问题,并承诺解决。社安局的客户服务一直存在问题,尤其是在残疾福利申请方面。民主党人担心政府最终目标是私有化社安金系统,这会带来信息安全和市场风险问题。代理专员曾考虑将部分职能外包给私营部门。共和党人声称改革是为了打击欺诈,但对服务质量问题也表示担忧。 @Cynthia DeGross , @Tam Dixon , @Noelle Saunders : 我们都经历了社安局电话等待时间过长,难以获得帮助的问题。 @Steve Daines : 作为共和党议员,我也对社安局的服务质量表示担忧,我的工作人员也经历了长时间等待和电话中断的问题。 Lisa Rein: 我报道了社安局的重大变化,包括代理专员的突然更换以及随后发生的裁员和服务质量下降。我采访了多个领取社安金的民众,他们都表达了对服务质量下降和未来福利保障的担忧。我与社安局官员进行了沟通,他们承认存在问题并承诺解决,但我对他们的最终目标仍然存疑。

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President Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk have vowed to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse they say is rampant in the Social Security Administration, a federal program that provides more than 70 million Americans with retirement or disability income. 

But evidence of widespread fraud and abuse is scant, and cost-cutting at the agency has driven out experienced staff. As a result, the website is crashing, phone lines are clogged, and seniors are reporting difficulty getting the help they need to establish or update their benefits.

Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Lisa Rein, who covers the Social Security Administration for The Washington Post, about how this agency has come under fire during the second Trump administration.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sean Carter. 

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.