AMNA NAWAZ: Significant changes will be coming for# Social Security recipients starting on March 31.

Millions of Americans will no longer be# able to verify their identity over the## phone, creating a challenge for older# Americans and those with disabilities.

Stephanie Sy joins us now with more.

STEPHANIE SY: This latest move by the Trump# administration will require new and existing## recipients to either verify themselves online or# have their I.D.s verified in person, even while## more than 40 field offices are slated to be shut# down by the Department of Government Efficiency.

The changes are aimed at addressing the potential# for fraudulent claims and improper payments,## which amounted to $72 billion# between 2015 to 2022.

That's less## than 1 percent of all the benefits# disbursed during that time period.

Advocates are raising concerns about the## burden this could place on an# already vulnerable population.

For more on what this means going# forward, I'm joined by Kathleen Romig,## director of Social Security and disability policy# for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Kathleen, thank you so much# for joining the "News Hour."

So, it seems the biggest change here is# getting rid of the option to verify one's## identity by phone.

Who will that impact the most?

KATHLEEN ROMIG, Director of Social#Security and Disabil... on Budget and Policy Priorities:#It's going to imp... with the online verification system that SSA has.

So that could include people who are just# not comfortable using online services,## which often does include older# people and people with disabilities,## which are the main populations that the# Social Security Administration serves.

It also means people who are not allowed# to open a My Social Security account, so,## for example, children.

Their families will# have to visit a Social Security office in## person to authenticate their identities# and to do business with the agency.

It also affects people who perhaps# don't have a driver's license or## don't have a smartphone in order to# use those online authentication tools.

STEPHANIE SY: And, of course, it's# not just the elderly.

There are## 72.5 million Americans who receive# these benefits, including children.

I am curious how one does verify an I.D.

by# phone.

The implication from the administration## here is that that isn't a very secure way of# verifying identification.

Does this fix that?

KATHLEEN ROMIG: The way that typically# identities are authenticated by phone## is by asking questions that only the person# with that identity would be able to answer.

So this is very commonly used by the# private financial industry as well.## When you have trouble logging into your bank# account or your mortgage lender's account,## then you would typically call and sort out any# problems over the phone and they'd ask you these## knowledge-based questions.

So that's what SSA# has been doing, and it's pretty common practice.

It's not perfect, but no# identity-proofing method is perfect.

STEPHANIE SY: So, at the same time as these# new requirements are set to go into effect,## you have reports of DOGE closing field offices,## particularly in the South.

They're also# letting go of thousands of employees.

The agency says these offices weren't used# much since online virtual meetings became## more popular and should be consolidated# to save costs.

What do you say to that?

KATHLEEN ROMIG: I think that any time# a field office closes to the public,## it's going to have an impact on# the people who live in that area.

There's research that even shows# that people are less likely to get## the Social Security disability# benefits that they have earned## and that they are eligible for if a# field office in their area closes.

STEPHANIE SY: We should say that we# did reach out to Trump administration## officials to be interviewed on the# topic, and they did pass on that today.

But they have also announced other# changes in these reforms, including## announcing plans to expedite processing,# for example, of direct deposit changes## to one business day.

It was 30 days.

Isn't# that a win for Social Security recipients?

KATHLEEN ROMIG: Well, if you are able# to authenticate your identity online and## make those changes online, then,# sure, faster processing makes sense.

But the fact is, if you do have to go# into a Social Security field office,## as this new policy requires, then it's going# to take you over a month to make that change.## And that's because there's already a# two-hour hold time on the phone to get## a call back from the Social Security# Administration to make an appointment,## and then over a monthlong wait on average# to get an appointment in a field office.

STEPHANIE SY: Groups like the AARP have# long called on Congress to provide more## resources to improving customer# service at this administration,## saying processing time for disability claims# have doubled in just the past five years.

Aren't changes due?

And, if so, what# changes do you think should be prioritized?

KATHLEEN ROMIG: Well, the reason that it's# taking the Social Security Administration longer## to process disability claims and too long# to answer the phone and to make appointments## with people is because there are already# not enough staff members working at SSA.

And that's because of years of underfunding.# And so the Trump administration is actually## moving to double down on those staff# cuts.

They're planning for another## 7,000 staff cuts at the Social Security# Administration this year.

So what that's## going to mean is fewer people answering the# phones, fewer people taking appointments,## fewer people processing claims, and that's going# to mean longer delays in each one of those areas.

And it's going to make it harder for applicants# and beneficiaries to access their benefits.

And## it's not just beneficiaries either, but it's# going to affect people who are trying to access## their Social Security statement, people# who need a replacement Social Security## card because they're seeking a job or just# got married.

These services affect everyone.

STEPHANIE SY: Kathleen Romig with the# Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Thank you, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN ROMIG: Thank you.