Frank Bisignano testified before the Senate Finance Committee on his nomination as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, explaining that the agency has cut the average wait time for its toll‑free helpline to its lowest level in a decade.
The average “speed of answer”—the time it takes for an agent to pick up an incoming call—fell below five minutes in May, an 89% reduction from the peak of 42 minutes seen in fiscal year 2024, Bisignano said in written testimony to the House Ways and Means Social Security and Work & Welfare subcommittee hearing.
“We now answer 90% of calls to our 800 number and have reduced average wait time to five minutes, a 75% improvement,” Bisignano said on Wednesday.
The Social Security Administration is projected to handle more than 800 million customer interactions this year, a result of its enhanced performance, Bisignano added. The agency currently serves over 300 million Americans, issues benefits to roughly 71 million individuals, and provides related services such as Social Security card issuance.
Bisignano’s testimony comes more than a year after he assumed leadership of SSA in May 2025. In October, he was also appointed CEO of the Internal Revenue Service.
President Donald Trump selected Bisignano, formerly president and CEO of global payments provider Fiserv, to bring a business approach to the agency. His appointment followed efforts by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency to curb waste, fraud, and abuse within federal operations.
Prior to Bisignano’s leadership, SSA announced plans in February 2025 to reduce staffing by 7,000 employees to a final count of 50,000. The agency ultimately lost more than 8,000 workers between January 2025 and April 2026, according to a new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which cited data from the Office of Personnel Management.
Staff reductions raised concerns among lawmakers and advocates that service quality at field offices and the 800 number might suffer.
In December, the SSA Office of the Inspector General issued a report on the agency’s 800 number in response to an audit request from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D‑Mass., who had expressed concerns about its performance. The report confirmed that the agency’s metrics were accurate and that overall phone service performance improved in fiscal year 2025. It noted that SSA’s 68 million callers—either directly handled by a worker or through automation—represent a 65% increase from the previous fiscal year, citing a new telecommunications platform and staff realignments as key drivers.
Some members pressed Bisignano on wait times during the hearing. Rep. Gwen Moore, D‑Wis., highlighted constituents’ experiences of long waits and variable service quality due to staff reallocation. Bisignano responded that SSA has increased staffing during peak hours and is focused on ensuring the right number of agents are in the right places.
Rep. Judy Chu, D‑Calif., questioned whether the data improvements included callers who selected the callback option, potentially counted as zero‑minute waits. Bisignano confirmed that callback requests are counted as zero‑minute waits as industry standard, but disputed OIG data, stating the average wait for a callback is under 30 minutes. He emphasized that the agency continues to publish extensive metrics on its website.
It is now clearer that the Social Security Administration’s rebuild efforts have significantly reduced wait times and improved service reliability for millions of Americans.
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