By Mark Moran
Advocates for Social Security are rallying in Phoenix this week at an event they're calling the "Silver Sit-In."
The program is receiving increased attention as Washington lawmakers cut social services across the nation. The Trump administration has made cuts to Medicaid and other services low-income people rely on through its budget reconciliation bill.
One in 10 people use Medicaid as their only source of insurance.Lin Ogburn, board member of the Arizona Alliance of Retired Americans, noted there were staff cuts to the Social Security program back in February. She is concerned reduced staff will eventually lead to reduced benefits.
"People here rely on it to pay their mortgage. They rely on it to pay bills," Ogburn pointed out. "It's very, very difficult here because there are so many people that don't have retirement income.
"Ogburn added potential cuts to Social Security funding, which turns 90 years old this month, are especially frightening to people who have disabilities. The Trump administration has said it is rightsizing the federal budget and working to eliminate waste and fraud from social service programs.
Ogburn argued the approval process for disability payments is already slow, and staff cuts will make it take even longer."The normal process to file for disability, for your Social Security disability, or for SSI, normally one to three years. Normally," Ogburn emphasized. "It's now going to be probably five years for a lot of people."
A 2024 report released by the Social Security board of trustees estimated under current guidelines, the program will only be able to pay out 83% of benefits owed by 2035.
