Attachment B (SSA Response to Reps. Wyden-Brown-Casey (Senate) - SSI Simplification and Online Application)

July 30, 2024

Enclosure – Page 1 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
1. SSA’s analysis of the current application process and identifying barriers for access
for key segments of the SSI population, including, but not limited to, adults over age
65, disabled adults, disabled children, individuals experiencing homelessness, and
children in the foster care system.
To learn more about the barriers individuals face when applying for SSI, we held
listening sessions and conducted extensive customer experience research and usability
testing. We also observed agency technicians in Field Offices conducting application
interviews and conducted focus groups of claimants and their helpers filing online for
disability using our iClaim system. From our research, we found:
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Some individuals are unaware of the benefits available to them. Some only became
aware of the SSI program when we sent targeted mailings to Social Security
beneficiaries who were potentially eligible for SSI.
Applicants believed completing the SSI application process online would take too
much time.
Applicants requested a streamlined, transparent, and faster internet application
experience.
Approximately 14% of SSI applications are completed online.
Applicants perceived that providing information about their disability, medical
condition, and medical treatment was burdensome, complicated, and unnecessary.
Some applicants lacked internet access, especially those experiencing homelessness
and with low incomes. They also experienced challenges completing an application
by telephone or by visiting a field office.
The internet application is challenging to navigate on a mobile device. Although
79.8% of views of our internet screens are done from a mobile device, only 58% of
individuals to start an internet application on a mobile device and only 25% of those
applications are successfully submitted online.
Applicants with limited or no English proficiency struggled to complete the internet
application without language translation and often relied on assistance from family
members or advocates. They also experienced delays scheduling application
interviews and medical examinations due to difficulty obtaining interpreter services.
When an individual files an SSI internet application on behalf of another person (e.g.,
children with disabilities in foster care), we must recontact the proper applicant to
obtain a signature.
Applicants facing homelessness or mental challenges have difficulty answering
identity verification questions.

2. Documentation of the feedback that SSA has received from users following SSA
testing different models for the simplified SSI application, both for the ‘eligibility’
portion and ‘development’ portion.

Enclosure – Page 2 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
The agency’s Customer Experience (CX) and the User Experience Testing (UXG) groups
conducted research and usability testing on the application process including new,
simplified SSI questions. Below is a summary of the UXG findings.
Rounds User Tester
of
Profile
Testing
1
Members of
the public

2

SSA
Technicians

Responses

Round one focused on applicants recruited by advocacy groups. Applicants
were age 18-64, disabled, non-blind, and married.
Applicants recommended the following:
• Simpler way to answer questions
• Easier-to-understand questions
• Use of empathetic language
• Caring and empathetic communication of denied application
• More context and examples throughout the application process
Round two focused on the development experience through technician
interviews. Technicians played the role of an age 50 to 64 married individual
who is not blind and lives with a spouse and child.
Noted issues included:
• Lack of plain language (68%)
• Required recontact with applicant to obtain key information needed to
determine eligibility and claim processing (12%)
• Technicians often cannot get in touch with the applicant due to reasons
such as unanswered calls, unreturned messages, and invalid contact
information (8%)
• Helper text had mixed reviews Helper text conveys to the user
additional guidance about the input field in the SSI application, such as
how it will be used (7%)
• Technicians must explain relevancy of questions being asked in SSI
Application (3%)
• Other minor issues (3%)

Enclosure – Page 3 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
Rounds User Tester
of
Profile
Testing
3
Members of
the public

Responses

Round three consisted of interviews with members of the public facing
barriers to equitable service. Demographics included: not blind, not receiving
SSA benefits, a mix of disabled and not disabled, a combination of married
and not married, a blend of living with and without children, and primary
education level of high school or GED.
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There were specific questions that applicants did not understand
(examples: specific income terms, disability onset date, blindness,
spouse questions).

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Some questions prompted the applicants to ask why the questions were
being asked (examples: children-related and financial records
questions).

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Applicants had helpful feedback concerning application design
(examples: questions with content that repeated throughout, input
fields, question order).

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In some cases, applicants did not know enough to easily answer a
question (examples: spouse’s SSN, disability onset date).

The agency’s CX team also conducted research on the development portion of the full
(Social Security/Title 2 and Supplemental Security Income/Title 16) disability claim
process. We are using the findings to inform modification to the development portion of
the claim process and the associated systems. A summary of the findings is included
below.
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During in-person interviews with disability applicants, technicians noted unexpected
back-end system errors that prolonged the interviews. For example, sometimes when
a technician attempts to move forward on a page, the SSI Application screen will
display ‘CCE error pls try again later’ and the technicians is forced to get out of the
application and get back in and start over from the beginning.
It takes a technician an average of two to three years to learn all the policies related to
disability and SSI benefits.
Employees want more digital channels to communicate with customers, like text and
email, to request and receive additional forms, provide status updates, and reduce the
number of phone calls.
Employees recommend better coordination with State DDS to ensure the field office
is collecting all the information the DDS needs.

Enclosure – Page 4 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
3. A project roadmap and architectural design for the simplified SSI application, both
for the ‘eligibility’ portion and ‘development’ portion, including its deliverables for
the next two fiscal years. Please include additional details to the roadmap and
architectural design if SSA plans to build separate applications based on categorical
eligibility (e.g., age, marital status, history of SSI entitlement, SSDI entitlement
status, etc.) or modality (i.e., internet, telephone, or paper application).
The project roadmap below outlines SSA’s three-phase approach for the simplified SSI
application.

PHASE 1
iClaim Expansion for
SSI

PHASE 2
Technician Supported
Modalities

PHASE 3
Mobile First Solution

1Q FY25

3Q FY25

1Q FY26

Covers online
applications for:
• Concurrent Social
Security and SSI
claims
• Adults 18-64 and
10 months
• Individuals who
have never been
married
• Individuals who
have never filed for
SSI or been named
as a parent on a
child’s SSI record
• U.S. and non-U.S.
Citizens

Covers:
Covers:
• Adult, Aged, Child,
• Online, mobile-first,
rd
Married, and 3 and public-facing
party applications
application mirroring
(including separate
phone, in-person,
applications for
and paper forms
children and adults)
• Full online disability
• Phone, in-person,
journey developed by
and paper forms
Customer Experience
• Development process
for agency
technicians

The first phase of the Streamlined SSI Application Process, targeted for the end of 2024, is to
release a limited online SSI application titled iClaim Expansion for SSI/iSSI. It covers
online applications for:
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Concurrent Social Security and SSI claims
Adults 18-64 and 10 months
Individuals who have never been married
Individuals who have never filed for SSI or been named as a parent on a child’s SSI
record
U.S. and non-U.S. Citizens

Enclosure – Page 5 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
Our second phase, targeted for release in mid-to-late 2025, will include incorporating the
simplified SSI questions into the technician assisted service delivery channels of in-person,
telephone, and paper form. This phase includes separating adult applications from child
applications, as well as streamlining the process used by agency technicians to determine
eligibility. The third phase, targeted for release in December 2026, is to provide a mobileready, simplified, online service channel for the public to apply for SSI including a targeted
focus on the underserved population. The full online disability journey will be developed
using feedback from the Customer Experience team.

Enclosure – Page 6 – The Honorable Ron Wyden

Below is the architectural design for the simplified SSI application.

Enclosure – Page 7 – The Honorable Ron Wyden

4. The title(s) of the SSA executive(s) overseeing the simplified SSI application project.
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Chief Transformation Officer, Office of Transformation
Deputy Chief Transformation Officer, Office of Transformation
Deputy Chief Project Officer, Benefits Modernization Program Management Office
(BMPMO) within the Office of Systems

5. The project assumption log created during project initiation (e.g., discovery
documents).
The agency made the following assumptions:
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No changes will occur to the current federal statutes or regulations that govern the
SSI program and its administration.
Further review and interpretation of agency policies, relevant statutes and regulations,
and their impact on the application process will be required.
Full Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congressional support.
Funding for this investment will be available in FY24 through FY26. Restricted
funding may limit development and implementation.
Continued user testing and feedback will be required for future developments and
improvements.

6. A list of internal and external stakeholders who SSA engaged with—or expects to
engage with—during the research, design, development, and implementation phase
of the simplified SSI application project.
Phases
Research

Stakeholders
External
Underserved communities (groups that have limited or no access to
resources) such as individuals experiencing low-income, limited
English proficiency, facing homelessness, mental illness, and
disabilities or blindness and their representative advocates
Internal
Office of Customer Experience
Deputy Commissioner for Retirement and Disability Policy (DCRDP)
Deputy Commissioner for Operations (DCO)
Deputy Commissioner for Communications (DCCOMM)
Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Enclosure – Page 8 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
Phases
Design

Stakeholders
External
Underserved communities (groups that have limited or no access to
resources) such as individuals experiencing low-income, limited
English proficiency, facing homelessness, mental illness, and
disabilities or blindness and their representative advocates
Members of the Public
Internal
Office of Customer Experience
User-Centered Design and Usability Group
DCRDP
DCO
DCCOM
OGC
CIO
Development Internal
Office of Customer Experience
User-Centered Design and Usability Group
Deputy Commissioner for Retirement and Disability Policy (DCRDP)
DCRDP
DCO
DCCOM
OGC
CIO
7. Frequency of feedback testing from users.
In July 2023, we completed the Adult Disability Survey, which measured the impact of
implemented improvements on the customer's overall experience when applying for
disability benefits and SSI. We received approximately 16,000 responses from recent
disability applicants. At this time, we do not have a timeline for releasing an additional
survey or any specific trigger to begin work on a follow up survey.
We are creating a new survey called the New Applicant Survey (NAS) with the purpose
of learning more about individuals who apply for the DI and SSI programs, their use of
services, and their experiences during the process. The expected launch date of that
survey is FY25.
We also collect customer feedback from our Always-On survey, which gathers insights
from customers of all agency services including disability and SSI, and feedback specific
to the iClaim experience. This opportunity to provide feedback is available to customers
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Enclosure – Page 9 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
a. Quantitative and qualitative metrics tracked to evaluate program design and
efficacy.
The anticipated outcome of Phase 1 includes the following:
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50 percent reduction in time for customer to complete an online
application;
In combination with other agency initiatives, a reduction in the processing
time for initial claim decisions for online applications from 225 days
currently to 120 days; and
Increased number of SSI applications completed online.

Metrics for Phases 2 and 3 are in development.
8. Projected major milestones, including transition from start-up and implementation
to continuous maintenance.
The SSI Simplification initiative will remove barriers individuals face when applying for
SSI by simplifying the application process and creating greater access to service through
more service options. This initiative also supports the Social Security Administration’s
efforts in making quality initial disability decisions in an average 120 days and reducing
call volumes to the national and field office contact centers. This phased initiative will
provide a simplified application process for customers who apply in-person at local field
offices, by telephone, or online.  The SSI Simplification initiative projects will have
multiple major milestones. 
Benefits of SSI Simplification Phase 1 Release
o Phase 1: iClaim Expansion of SSI (planned release in late 2024) will reduce the
burden for SSI applicants who are filing for disability payments, make application
questions easier to understand, and will prepopulate data for authenticated
individuals to streamline the application. 
• The Phase 1 Release will expand iClaim and introduce as few as 12 usertested, SSI-specific questions across 6 screens, shaping the simplified SSI
application to be launched in late 2024.
• The new screens focusing on Income and Resource information will bring
clarity to the application process based on feedback from human-centered
design testing.
• The non-U.S. citizenship exclusion for iClaim will be removed, allowing
individuals from this population to submit applications online. This change
has the potential to accommodate an estimated 3,600 additional SSI
applications based on 2022 data.
• General information collected from applicants, such as name, address, and
disability onset, will be leveraged from their responses to Title 2 questions,
decreasing requests for duplicative information and application completion
time.

Enclosure – Page 10 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
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To streamline iClaim, four Title 2 questions that are no longer necessary will
be removed, including:
o Other Names from the Other Names/SSNs page;
o Best time to contact from the Contact Information page;
o Provide permanent resident card number from the Birth and Citizenship
page; and
o Is everyone in your household applying for SSI from the Other Benefits
page. (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, question)
Additionally, all disability applicants will now receive information on SNAP.
With the iClaim Expansion for SSI release, we anticipate a 5% increase in
online applications. Since this is our initial implementation of an online SSI
application, it is crucial that we begin with a smaller sample size. This
approach will help us identify areas for improvement without triggering
adverse effects, such as an influx of ineligible applications being submitted to
the DDSs.
Using data analytics, User Experience Group (UXG) testing, and feedback
from both advocates and agency technicians, we will gain valuable insights
and refine our approach as we progress through the subsequent phases.

Benefits of SSI Simplification Phase 2 Release
o Phase 2: Technician Supported Modules (planned release in 2025) will automate
internal workloads to provide employees with only actionable applications to
process. Phase 2 will:
• Encompass adult, aged, child, married, and third-party applications through
the service delivery channels of in-person, telephone, and paper forms.
• Include a development process for agency technicians.
• Consolidate abbreviated/deferred SSI application (SSA-8001), and adult
disability (SSA-3368) forms into new SSI mobile-ready and online
application by December 2025. 
• In combination with other agency initiatives, reduce the processing time for
initial claim decisions for online applications from 225 days currently to 120
days.  
• Reduce the number of recontacts by technicians for income and resource
questions by up to 50%. 
Benefits of SSI Simplification Phase 3 Release
o Phase 3: Mobile-First Solution (planned release in late 2026) Phase 3 will
establish an online, mobile-first, and public-facing system for SSI, Title 2, and
other applications, replicating the telephone phone, in-person, and paper service
delivery channels. Phase 3 will:
• Employ human-centered design testing to shape the mobile-first solution.
• Provide a mobile-ready, simplified, online service channel for the public to
apply for SSI including targeted focus on underserved communities. 
• Offer secure end-to end online service to our customers

Enclosure – Page 11 – The Honorable Ron Wyden
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Improve service options for members of the disabled and shut-in
communities, removing the need to physically visit or contact a field office.

9. Budget for the simplified SSI application project for the next five fiscal years.
For FY23, we budgeted $6.5M to support continued discovery and execution of our SSI
Simplification work. For FY24, we were granted $25 million to fund our product for
Benefits Modernization, with $10 million allocated to the SSI Simplification effort. We
have included the SSI Simplification project as part of our Benefits Modernization and
regularly publish investment details on GSA’s Federal IT Dashboard.