Audit confirms accuracy of Social Security data after Sen Warren raised concerns

SPECIAL: The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) internal watchdog confirmed that the agency’s publicly released phone service data was accurate and that performance improved in fiscal 2025, according to a new audit completed after Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questioned whether the figures could be trusted.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed SSA’s national 800 phone metrics and found that the agency’s public data was accurate and overall service improved through fiscal year 2025, according to a draft audit report provided to agency leadership before it was made public. The report did not make any recommendations to the institution.

The review was launched after Warren raised concerns in June about long wait times and the reliability of the SSA’s phone performance data. He formally requested an audit on July 24, prompting SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano, who serves under President Donald Trump, to agree to an independent review by the watchdog.

The audit found that SSA served 68 million callers through live agents or automated systems in fiscal 2025, a 65% increase from the previous year. Average wait times fluctuated early in the year but steadily improved, according to the audit, peaking at around 30 minutes in January and then finishing the fiscal year at around seven minutes in September.

TRUMP SAID ELIZABETH WARREN ‘MUST TAKE A DRUG TEST’

The metric, known as Average Response Speed, only measures the time callers actively wait on hold before speaking to an employee and does not include time spent waiting for callbacks, the agency said.

“Last year people waited 40 minutes on the phone, and now it’s in the single digits. We’re making twice as many calls,” Bisignano said.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Bisignano said the audit confirmed what agency leaders had publicly reported on improvements in service levels.

“Senator Warren was completely wrong in everything she said, and that has now been proven,” Bisignano said, referring to the watchdog’s finding that SSA’s publicly released phone measurements were accurately calculated. he said.

Bisignano said he welcomed the audit and was confident the data would withstand independent review.

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP TELLS THE ADVANTAGES OF ‘ZERO TAX’ TO THE MAJORITY OF SENIORS ON SOCIAL SECURITY’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY

President Donald Trump holds a signed proclamation from Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act in the Oval Office on August 14 in Washington, D.C. (AP/Alex Brandon)

The inspector general’s report concluded that SSA’s telephony performance improved in fiscal 2025 largely due to operational changes, including the rollout of a new cloud-based telecommunications platform, expanded automation and staff realignments. The platform, launched in August 2024, allowed SSA to increase call capacity, expand self-service options and monitor performance in real time, according to the report.

The watchdog also confirmed that SSA’s internal data validation process ensures accuracy by comparing raw data to reported measurements and working with vendors to resolve any discrepancies. The audit found no evidence that the agency misrepresented its national 800-figure performance.

The improvements come from a combination of technology, process changes and workforce adjustments, Bisignano said.

The report explains that SSA experienced particularly high call volumes between January and March 2025 due to Medicare and tax-related questions as well as implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, which affected more than 3.2 million beneficiaries.

Despite the increase, the agency reduced average wait times throughout the year.

SOCIAL SECURITY IS 90 YEARS OLD. UNDER TRUMP WE ARE GETTING IT SMARTER, BETTER, FASTER

Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano responds to criticism that the Trump administration is destroying the social safety net program. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

The audit also found that during fiscal year 2025, nearly 25 million calls ended without callers receiving service because callers were disconnected, did not respond to callback attempts, or encountered busy signals. These calls were not included in the agency’s wait time measurements.

Automation has played an increasing role in absorbing volatility. Automated systems handled an average of 2.9 million calls per month in fiscal 2025, according to the audit; this number was approximately 300,000 per month the previous year. Automated services have taken pressure off phone lines by allowing callers to complete common tasks without speaking to a live representative.

The inspector general also examined how SSA calculates the Average Response Speed ​​metric, which measures the amount of time callers actively wait on hold before speaking to an employee. The audit explained that callers who accepted a callback were counted as having zero active wait time; This is a methodology that reduces the average but does not include the time callers wait to receive a callback.

Transparency about how the numbers are calculated is important, Bisignano said.

“We figured out how to leverage technology, process engineering and human capital,” he said.

Staff changes also contributed to the comeback. By early fiscal year 2025, the number of employees available to answer national 800 calls has decreased by approximately 13 percent. By July, SSA began deploying approximately 1,000 field office employees each day to help manage national call volume. The audit found this coincided with sharp improvements in wait times, with Average Response Speed ​​falling from around 13 minutes in June to around 7.5 minutes in July.

The audit did not evaluate service levels or wait times at local Social Security field offices.

The audit found that beyond wait times, the quality of service remained high. Approximately 87 percent of callers who responded to post-call surveys said their issue was resolved at first contact. The survey results reflect feedback from callers who reached an SSA employee and do not include callers who only used automated services.

Bisignano said the improvements are most important for seniors and beneficiaries who rely most on Social Security services.

“We are investing in Social Security and serving the American people at a level never seen before,” he said. “We will meet you where you want to meet: on the phone, in field offices, or online.”

He added that people who haven’t called the agency lately may be surprised by how much things have changed.

“The thing that will surprise them the most is how quickly they can return phone calls,” he said.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

Looking forward, Bisignano said the agency plans to continue expanding digital services and reducing the backlog, including for disability claims, while maintaining accountability through ongoing oversight.

“Expect us to always have double-digit improvements in every metric we have,” he said. “This is just the beginning.”

The full OIG report may read as follows: read here.

“As a result, Donald Trump’s Social Security chief lied about call wait times to cover up the customer service mess,” Senator Warren said in an email to Fox News Digital. he said. “This new watchdog report reveals that actual wait times are three times higher than Commissioner Bisignano claims, and tens of millions of callers are unable to get any help over the phone.”