Social Security Field Offices Reopen to Public

By

John Waggoner

Social Security field offices, closed since March 17, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopened Thursday, April 7.

During the pandemic, in-person appointments at Social Security field offices were limited to critical situations, such as for people who were without food, medicine or shelter. While most

offices can help you without an appointment, a few offices are closed or open by appointment only.  Find out which offices are closed or open by appointment only, by visiting 

ssa.gov/emergency. SSA encourages you to make an appointment as this will help them plan for you.

You can do many things online at ssa.gov, such as apply for benefits.  Also, with a personal my Social Security account, you can get an instant benefit verification letter or check the

status of your application; most people can request a replacement Social Security card.

Like many businesses and organizations, Social Security had turned to options like online and telephone services to conduct its operations during the pandemic. Those options are still

available. Nevertheless, people in rural areas and those without access to transportation or technology have struggled for help with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security

Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

“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,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Social Security’s acting commissioner, in a statement. Social Security warns that it is currently having problems with its phone systems. You

may experience service issues, including poor call quality, dropped calls and long wait times.