By Scout Nelson
Thousands of seniors across North Dakota are struggling to access Social Security services due to recent changes under the Trump administration. AARP reports a sharp increase in calls from seniors worried about delays and confusion, especially in rural areas.
With plans to close nearly 50 regional Social Security offices and cut staff, long wait times are becoming the norm. A new policy also requires in-person or online identity verification—removing the phone option.
This change is especially hard for people living in rural North Dakota, where driving to a Social Security office could take hours.
"It would be possible that folks would have to drive three to four hours or more to get to a location. And if you're not comfortable working with apps on your iPhone or Android device, you're looking at potentially a full day of driving, and that's a significant barrier," said Askvig.
The White House claims these changes aim to prevent fraud and assure the public that benefits will not be reduced. However, many are worried the new system will delay or stop monthly payments.
AARP is asking the administration to bring back the phone option and is urging Congress to step in. The group says these changes could open the door for scams targeting confused seniors.
"We're also concerned that this change will lead to scammers using the confusion the agency has created around this to potentially exploit and prey on Americans as well," Askvig added.
AARP and other advocates say Social Security services have been underfunded for years. They hope public pressure will lead to improvements and protect the nearly one in six North Dakotans who rely on these vital benefits.
Photo Credits:gettyimages-daniilantiq
Categories: North Dakota, Education