Social Security as an Independent Agency

Gao ID: T-HRD-93-34 September 14, 1993

GAO has found no compelling reason to establish the Social Security Administration (SSA) as an independent agency, although health care reform's impact on the Department of Health and Human Services could change the situation. GAO believes that, in any event, a single administrator would be the best management structure for an independent SSA. To provide greater agency continuity and institutional memory, GAO supports the appointment of career status staff in top management jobs at SSA. GAO also supports delegating SSA independent authority for personnel management, building maintenance and acquisition, and computer procurement. But regardless of its status, SSA needs to seriously reengineer its business practices, upgrade technology, and reorganize to better respond to its customers' needs.



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