SSI is inherently more difficult to administer than the Social Security programs. Social Security eligibility depends upon generally objective and stable factors. In contrast, under SSI, the fact and degree of eligibility can change from month to month based on changes in income, resources, living arrangements, and place of residence. SSI also has complicated rules, which causes numerous issues. Compared to Social Security, initial claims-taking is much more difficult and time-consuming, and program expenditures devoted to administration are much higher.
Both the Administration and members of Congress have expressed support for legislation that would give disability applicants and beneficiaries greater access to rehabilitation and employment services and provide incentives to ease the transition between beneficiary status and employment. It is widely known that SSI is set up in a way that is unnecessarily onerous for SSA to administer.
The Statement is included in SSA’s 1999 Annual Report on the SSI Program. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 gives Board members the opportunity, individually or jointly, to include their views on SSI in SSA’s annual report to the President and Congress on the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The Board or one of its members has submitted a statement every year since 1998, except for 2024 due to the lack of a quorum.