Social Security Accelerates Decisions for People with Severe Disabilities

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Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 12 new Compassionate Allowances conditions: Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma, Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm, Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Disease, Microvillus Inclusion Disease - Child, Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Excess Blasts, NUT Carcinoma, Pfeiffer Syndrome - Types II and III, Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia, Posterior Cortical Atrophy, Renal Amyloidosis - AL Type, and Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma.

The Compassionate Allowances program quickly identifies claims where the applicant's condition or disease clearly meets Social Security's statutory standard for disability. Due to the severe nature of many of these conditions, these claims are often allowed based on medical confirmation of the diagnosis alone. To date, more than 800,000 people with severe disabilities have been approved through this accelerated, policy-compliant disability process, which has grown to a total of 266 conditions.

"The Social Security Administration is committed to reducing barriers and ensuring people who are eligible for benefits receive them," said Acting Commissioner Kijakazi. "Our Compassionate Allowances program allows us to strengthen that commitment by accelerating the disability application process for people with the most severe disabilities."

When a person applies for disability benefits, Social Security must obtain medical records in order to make an accurate determination. The agency incorporates leading technology to identify potential Compassionate Allowances cases and make quick decisions. Social Security's Health IT brings the speed and efficiency of electronic medical records to the disability determination process. With electronic records transmission, Social Security can quickly obtain a claimant's medical information, review it, and make a fast determination.

For more information about the program, including a list of all Compassionate Allowances conditions, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.

To learn more about Social Security's Health IT program, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/hit.

People may apply online for disability benefits by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.

To create a mySocial Securityaccount, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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The Social Security Administration issued its 2022-2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan. The detailed plan, which outlines goals and priorities in each of the four areas, includes establishing a Chief Equity Officer and a DEIA Implementation Team.

"Social Security's goal is to weave DEIA principles into the fabric of our workplace," said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "In alignment with Social Security's mission, the DEIA vision is to enhance our current workforce diversity and sustain an inclusive work environment where individual differences are valued, and employees are treated with dignity and respect."

Social Security's DEIA Strategic Plan supports President Biden's June 2021 Executive Order (EO) 14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, as well as other EOs on advancing equity and preventing and combatting discrimination.

To learn more about the actions outlined in the DEIA Strategic Plan, please visit Agency DEIA Strategic Plan 2022-2023 (ssa.gov).

Equity is foundational to the strategic framework of Social Security's Agency Strategic Plan, Learning Agenda, and Evaluation Plan.

For more information visit www.whitehouse.gov/equity.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its annual report on the financial status of the Social Security Trust Funds. The combined asset reserves of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (OASI and DI) Trust Funds are projected to become depleted in 2035, one year later than projected last year, with 80 percent of benefits payable at that time.

The OASI Trust Fund is projected to become depleted in 2034, one year later than last year's estimate, with 77 percent of benefits payable at that time. The DI Trust Fund asset reserves are not projected to become depleted during the 75-year projection period.

In the 2022 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:

• The asset reserves of the combined OASI and DI Trust Funds declined by $56 billion in 2021 to a total of $2.852 trillion.
• The total annual cost of the program is projected to exceed total annual income in 2022 and remain higher throughout the 75-year projection period. Total cost began to be higher than total income in 2021. Social Security's cost has exceeded its non-interest income since 2010.
• The year when the combined trust fund reserves are projected to become depleted, if Congress does not act before then, is 2035 - one year later than last year's projection. At that time, there would be sufficient income coming in to pay 80 percent of scheduled benefits.

"It is important to strengthen Social Security for future generations. The Trustees recommend that lawmakers address the projected trust fund shortfalls in a timely way in order to phase in necessary changes gradually," said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "Social Security will continue to be a vital part of the lives of 66 million beneficiaries and 182 million workers and their families during 2022."

Other highlights of the Trustees Report include:

• Total income, including interest, to the combined OASI and DI Trust Funds amounted to $1.088 trillion in 2021. ($980.6 billion from net payroll tax contributions, $37.6 billion from taxation of benefits, and $70.1 billion in interest)
• Total expenditures from the combined OASI and DI Trust Funds amounted to nearly $1.145 trillion in 2021.
• Social Security paid benefits of $1.133 trillion in calendar year 2021. There were about 65 million beneficiaries at the end of the calendar year.
• The projected actuarial deficit over the 75-year long-range period is 3.42 percent of taxable payroll - lower than the 3.54 percent projected in last year's report.
• During 2021, an estimated 179 million people had earnings covered by Social Security and paid payroll taxes.
• The cost of $6.5 billion to administer the Social Security program in 2021 was a very low 0.6 percent of total expenditures.
• The combined trust fund asset reserves earned interest at an effective annual rate of 2.5 percent in 2021.

The Board of Trustees usually comprises six members. Four serve by virtue of their positions with the federal government: Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee; Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security; Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services; and Martin J. Walsh, Secretary of Labor. The two public trustee positions are currently vacant.

View the 2022 Trustees Report at www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/TR/2022/.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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Olivia and Liam are America's most popular baby names in 2021. Liam has been the top choice for new parents for five years in a row, and Olivia has topped the list for three years. Once again, during this unprecedented time, parents chose to stick with familiar names. Out of both Top 10 lists combined, only one name changed, with Theodore replacing Alexander in popularity. The name Theodore joins the Top 10 list for the first time--welcome to the club "Teddy!"

Here are the top 10 boys and girls names for 2021:

Boys	Girls
1. Liam	1. Olivia
2. Noah	2. Emma
3. Oliver	3. Charlotte
4. Elijah	4. Amelia
5. James	5. Ava
6. William	6. Sophia
7. Benjamin	7. Isabella
8. Lucas	8. Mia
9. Henry	9. Evelyn
10. Theodore	10. Harper

For all of the top baby names of 2021, and to see where your name ranks, go to Social Security's website, www.socialsecurity.gov/babynames.

Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi encourages everyone to enjoy the baby names list and, while online, create a mySocial Securityaccount at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. mySocial Security, born ten years ago this month, is a personalized online account that people can use beginning in their working years and continuing while receiving Social Security benefits.

Over the decade, more than 69 million people have signed up and benefited from the many secure and convenient self-service options. People who set up their mySocial Securityaccount have access to additional personalized services. They can request a replacement Social Security card online if they meet certain requirements. If they already receive Social Security benefits, they can start or change direct deposit online, request a replacement SSA-1099, and if they need proof of their benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter from their account.

People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides their earnings information as well as estimates of their future benefits. The portal also includes a retirement estimator and links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits.

Additional Baby Names Information:

Social Security began compiling the baby name list in 1997, with names dating back to 1880. At the time of a child's birth, parents supply the name to the agency when applying for a child's Social Security card, thus making Social Security America's source for the most popular baby names.

Each year, the list reveals the effect of pop-culture on naming trends. Here are the top five fastest rising boys and girls names in 2021:

Boys	Girls
1. Amiri	1. Raya
2. Eliam	2. Wrenley
3. Colter	3. Angelique
4. Ozzy	4. Vida
5. Loyal	5. Emberlynn

Please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/babynames to view the entire list.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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Today, the Social Security Administration released its first Equity Action Plan, supporting President Biden's whole-of-government equity agenda to advance equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity for all.

On January 20, 2021, The President signed an Executive Order, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Executive Order requires all Federal agencies "to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and other people who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality."

"Social Security's programs touch the lives of nearly every American, providing income security for the diverse populations we serve, including people facing barriers, people with disabilities, people who are widowed, retirees, and their families," said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "Systemic barriers may prevent people who need our programs the most from accessing them. Our Equity Action Plan will help to reduce these barriers and ensure people have access to our services."

Social Security's Equity Action Plan includes:

• Increasing collection of race and ethnicity data to help understand whether programs are equitably serving applicants and beneficiaries,
• Revising policies and practices to expand options for service delivery,
• Ensuring equitable access for unrepresented claimants in the disability application process,
• Decreasing burdens for people who identify as gender diverse or transgender in the Social Security number card application process, and
• Increasing access to research grant programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions and procurement opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.

To learn more about the actions outlined in the Equity Action Plan, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/open/materials/SSA-EO-13985-Equity-Action-Plan.pdf. For more information about efforts to redress systemic barriers in policies and programs to advance equity for all, visit www.whitehouse.gov/equity.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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"I am pleased to announce that local Social Security offices will restore in-person services, including for people without an appointment, on April 7, 2022.

To avoid waiting in line, I strongly encourage people, who can, to use our online services at www.socialsecurity.gov, call us, and schedule appointments in advance rather than walking in without an appointment. Phone appointments can save you a trip to a busy office. I thank the public for your patience as we work to increase service.

Customers who walk in without appointments may encounter delays and longer waits at our offices. Be aware that our offices tend to be the busiest first thing in the morning, early in the week, and during the early part of the month, so people may want to plan to visit at other times.

Given that many of the people we serve have health vulnerabilities, and consistent with our union agreements, we are continuing to require certain safety measures including masking, physical distancing, and self-health checks for COVID-19 symptoms. We will provide masks to the public and employees if they need them.

Thoughtful planning and preparation have shaped our process to restore in-person services. Social Security employees are dedicated to serving the public, and we are ready to welcome the public back to our offices. Our local managers understand and can address the needs of their communities. We have also implemented office-to-office support as well as brought recently retired employees back to assist the public. We thank the many interested stakeholders including the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Community Living and national advocate organizations for your help.

Throughout the pandemic, millions of people have used our secure and convenient online services and received help by phone. People who have access to the internet should first try our online services before calling us or visiting an office.

As we transition to a new modern phone system, some people may experience a busy signal or be unintentionally disconnected from their call. We sincerely regret this disruption and recommend people call when our National 800 Number may be less busy, such as before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. local time or later in the week. Like our offices, our waits are generally shorter later in the month.

To learn more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/coronavirus/gethelp/ and www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices/."

Additional Information

Most Social Security services are available to the public online at www.socialsecurity.gov and with a mySocial Securityaccount, or by telephone. And most Social Security services do not require the public to take time to visit an office. People may create their mySocial Securityaccount, a personalized online service, at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

People who set up their mySocial Securityaccount have access to additional personalized services. They can request a replacement Social Security card online if they meet certain requirements. If they already receive Social Security benefits, they can start or change direct deposit online, request a replacement SSA-1099, and if they need proof of their benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter from their account.

People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides their earnings information as well as estimates of their future benefits. The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits.

Many Social Security services are also conveniently available by dialing toll-free, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call Social Security's TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced that the agency will offer people the choice to self-select their sex on their Social Security number (SSN) record. The agency anticipates this option will be available in the fall of 2022.

"The Social Security Administration is committed to reducing barriers and ensuring the fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community by updating our procedures for Social Security number records," said Acting Commissioner Kijakazi. "This policy change will allow people to self-select their sex in our records without needing to provide documentation of their sex designation."

People who update their sex marker in Social Security's records will need to apply for a replacement SSN card. They will still need to show a current document to prove their identity, but they will no longer need to provide medical or legal documentation of their sex designation once the policy change becomes effective. SSN cards do not include sex markers.

In February 2022, the agency issued guidance instructing employees to accept evidence documents that contain non-binary identifiers (e.g., "X") for original SSN and replacement SSN card applications, and other updates to the agency's internal SSN records. The agency is exploring possible future policy and systems updates to support an "X" sex designation for the SSN card application process.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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The Social Security Administration and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) are partnering to raise public awareness about Social Security imposter scams during the third annual "Slam the Scam" Day on March 10. Social Security scams - where fraudsters attempt to mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to fix purported Social Security number problems or to avoid arrest - are an ongoing government imposter fraud scheme. For several years, Social Security impersonation scams have been one of the most common government imposter scams reported to the Federal Trade Commission. Social Security has made concerted efforts to address this issue, and extensive outreach and investigative efforts are having a positive impact, decreasing scam reports to OIG by more than 20 percent since 2020.

"I am proud of the work we have done to combat Social Security imposter scams, yet I remain deeply concerned that fraudsters continue trying to deceive people into providing personal information or money," said Acting Social Security Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi. "Above all, I urge people to remain alert, hang up if a scammer calls, and ignore their attempts if you receive a suspicious email, text, or letter."

Criminals are sophisticated and there are many variations of this fraud scheme. For example, scammers may call or email saying they are from Social Security and that the person's Social Security number is suspended or was used in a crime. The caller identification may be spoofed to appear as a legitimate government number. They may text or email fake documents in attempts to coerce people to comply with their demands. Another common tactic is citing "badge numbers." In the latest development involving Social Security-related scams, criminals are using fraudulent Social Security letterhead to target individuals for money or personal information.

Social Security will never tell you that your Social Security number is suspended, contact you to demand an immediate payment, threaten you with arrest, ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone, ask for gift cards or cash, or promise a Social Security benefit approval or increase in exchange for information or money.

"As we continue working with our law enforcement partners and partners from the private sector to combat these sinister schemes, I urge consumers to simply hang up the phone, or delete suspicious texts and emails, without responding to the scammers," Social Security Inspector General Gail Ennis said. "That is the easiest and most effective way to avoid falling prey to these vicious scams."

Today's events include:

• 1 p.m. ET: @SocialSecurity and @TheSSAOIG participate in a Spanish-language #OjoConLasEstafas on Twitter hosted by @USAgovespanol.
• 3 p.m. ET: @SocialSecurity and @TheSSAOIG participate in a #SlamTheScamChat on Twitter hosted by @USAgov.
• 7 p.m. ET: Facebook Live with the SSA Office of the Inspector General and the Division of Consumer & Business Education at the Federal Trade Commission.

Social Security employees do occasionally contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, someone who is already receiving payments and requires an update to their record, or a person who has requested a phone call from the agency. If there is a problem with a person's Social Security number or record, Social Security will typically mail a letter.

To report a scam attempt, go to oig.ssa.gov. For more information, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/scam and www.socialsecurity.gov/antifraudfacts/.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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"I am very pleased to share that we have successfully reached agreement with our three labor unions on our reentry plan.

This will be a significant step toward improving access to our services as we implement this plan.

I want to thank our labor representatives for working with management to achieve this outcome, which will help us better serve the public.

I also want to thank the public and our employees for their patience during this unprecedented time.

I know the public will have questions about what this means to them.

For now, you should continue to reach us online at www.socialsecurity.gov or by calling our National 800 Number or your local office. We will let you know when we are able to restore additional services."

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

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