While Social Security checks are expected to continue during a shutdown, other SSA functions could be disrupted.
What will happen to Social Security payments during the government shutdown? What to know about your benefits
In the US, one out of five seniors depend on Social Security for ninety percent or more of their income. These critical benefits keep seniors afloat, and it takes a lot more than Congressional failure to stop sending these checks.
These benefits are protected because their funding does not form part of the same budget process Congress is currently debating.
How will a shutdown impact the Social Security Adminstration?
During the government shutdown, the White House asks federal agencies to provide a contingency plan. These have yet to be published, but the government must provide money for the Social Security benefit programs. Social Security payments are expected to continue and won’t be disrupted.
Services that are halted
This does not mean that beneficiaries will not encounter difficulties when faced with issues relating to their benefits.
Several activities will be stopped during the shutdown, including the processing of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, overpayment processing, and the replacement of Medicare cards, among other activities typically carried out.
These responsibilities must be cut because around 8,500 SSA workers will be furloughed. In other words, these government employees will be sent home without pay until Congress passes a funding bill.
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