Braley, Grassley critical of planned Social Security service reduction

CEDAR RAPIDS - U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley has introduced legislation to delay 'especially harsh” changes at 19 Iowa Social Security offices that he warned could, in time, lead to their closing.

Braley's Seniors' Access to Social Security Act would delay by a year the planned changes that would result in reduced service to Iowa seniors by requiring them to go online or call the Social Security Administration to get services now available face-to-face at Social Security offices.

The Social Security Administration has announced that beginning in August it will no longer issue Social Security number printouts in its field offices. Beginning in October, field offices will stop providing benefit verification letters except in emergency situations.

Seniors requesting this information would be able to do so only online or over the phone. Last year, 11 million Americans visited Social Security offices to request this information.

Puzzled by the move, Braley, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, asked whether the changes would increase convenience and accessibility to service, and whether they would save taxpayer money.

'It turns out the answer to both questions is a resounding ‘no,'” he said.

According to a report by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, he said, 'There is every indication these service cuts would have an especially harsh impact on Iowa seniors who are likely to lack Internet access and face long holding times when seeking information over the phone.”

'If there was substantial cost savings that would justify eliminating the service, that might make more sense,” Braley said.

Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley also was critical of the changes.

'It seems inconceivable that government doesn't want to be of the greatest service to anybody, particularly old people” who may not have Internet access, Grassley said Wednesday. 'You know it's the younger generation that's up to snuff on IT. And the older you get, the less apt you are to do it.”

Over time, as seniors gain Internet skills and access improves, Braley said the demand for over-the-counter service at field offices may decrease.

'Until that happens, we have a responsibility to address the need,” he said.

Braley also is concerned that 'unwarranted and expensive services cuts to these offices moves us closer to permanently shuttering (the field offices), leaving Iowa seniors with nowhere to go.”

Iowa's 19 SSA field offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Dubuque, Marshalltown, Waterloo, Burlington, Coralville, Davenport, Ottumwa, Council Bluffs, Creston, Des Moines, Ames, Carroll, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, Spencer and Storm Lake.

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