SSA Disability Reengineering

Project Magnitude and Complexity Impede Implementation Gao ID: T-HEHS-96-211 September 12, 1996

Given the high cost and lengthy processing times of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) current disability claims process, the agency needs to continue its redesign efforts. SSA's redesign plan is proving to be overly ambitious, however. Some initiatives are also becoming more complex as SSA expands the work required to complete them. The agency's approach is likely to limit the chances for the project's success and has delayed implementation: testing milestones have slipped and support for the redesign effort has waned. In addition, the increasing length of the overall project and specific initiatives heighten the risk of disruption from turnover among key executives. GAO believes that as SSA proceeds with its redesign project it should focus on key initiatives, starting first with those that will quickly and significantly reduce claims processing time and administrative costs.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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