Reading current statistics provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA) is like looking at the world through rose-colored glasses, according to Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
“They chose their metrics very carefully. They cherry-pick,” Romig said.
The agency is claiming sweeping productivity gains such as a 30-percent reduction in the initial disability claims backlog, and cuts in disability-hearing wait times by more than 90 days, to a historic low of 266 days. The SSA, however, is not providing the detailed, real-time metrics it used to post on its website and announce in press releases. According to the Urban Institute, what looks like improvements come from a decrease in new disability claims and an increased rate of initial claim denials.
Social Security Disability (SSD) applications dropped 7 percent in fiscal year 2025 compared with the previous year. Although the SSA processed 8 percent more claims at the initial application states, the approval rate for those claims fell from 38.7 percent in 2024 to 36 percent in 2025. It is the denial rate that has raised the total number of decisions to increase.
“Two-thirds of people who apply get denied and that rate has gone up during this administration,” said Nancy Altman, president of advocacy group Social Security Works. “It doesn’t take as long to make a denial as it does to approve an application.”
The agency has been under stress caused by the loss of 12 percent of its workforce, the application of new procedures and policies, and new leadership. These factors have made it more difficult to get a meeting at a field office or to get through to a knowledgeable worker on the 800-number. Martin O’Malley, former Social Security commissioner, said that due to the long waits and difficulties making contact with the SSA, people are giving up on applying. Additionally, he said, more people die from their conditions because the wait time is so extensive.
This increase in barriers to successfully obtaining SSD benefits make it even more imperative claimants hire a law firm with expertise in getting disability cases approved. Our firm has helped 22,000 SSD clients obtain the benefits they deserve. If you, a family member or friend, have become too disabled to continue to work, contact us at 1-855-963-2054 for a free case review.
