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For Immediate Release
Barton Mackey, Press Officer
press.office@ssa.gov
News Release SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security Commissioner Visits Ohio to Highlight Agency’s Customer Service Transformation

Middleburg Heights, OH – On Friday, May 22, 2026, Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano and Deputy Commissioner Arjun Mody visited the Social Security field office in Middleburg Heights, Ohio with U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno. They met with local staff and discussed the agency’s digital-first approach that has streamlined SSA’s operations and significantly improved customer service, benefitting seniors, survivors, people with disabilities, and the most vulnerable in Ohio and across the nation.

Photo of Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano and Deputy Commissioner Arjun Mody with U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno and staff

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we have made it a priority for the agency to meet people where they want to be served, whether that’s at a field office, on the phone, or online,” said Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. “I’d like to thank Senator Moreno for his strong support of Social Security’s mission and commitment to Ohio seniors. I am proud of the progress we’ve made in making it easier for the public to manage their benefits and plan for their future, and I look forward to continuing to protect and strengthen Social Security for the over 330 million Americans we serve.”

Since Commissioner Bisignano’s confirmation, SSA’s focus on technology and process improvement has led to faster, higher-quality customer service at field offices, on the phone, and online:

  • At field offices, SSA lowered the average wait time from about 30 minutes in fiscal year (FY) 2024 to just over 20 minutes so far this year, or a nearly 30 percent reduction. In Ohio, the average wait time as of May 2026 is less than 20 minutes, which is below the national average. Incoming calls to field offices have also benefited from the introduction of updated phone technology, enabling approximately 37 percent of calls to be handled through convenient self-service options.
  • On the National 800 Number, SSA reduced the Average Speed of Answer to under 7 minutes in April 2026, down 84 percent from a high of 42 minutes in FY 2024.
  • Online, SSA eliminated 29 hours of weekly downtime for my Social Security and made it functional 24/7. The growth in new account holders, surpassing 100 million total my Social Security accounts created, combined with customers’ evolving preference to do business online, has led to 287 million completed transactions already in FY 2026, a 47 percent increase from the same period in FY 2024.
  • In Disability Adjudication, SSA reduced the initial disability claims backlog by 33 percent, from a high of 1.27 million in 2024 to 853,000 cases in April 2026.

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