How Musk’s access to the Ministry of Finance can affect social security

News there Department of Government Efficiency Led by Elon Musk now has access to a government’s payment system that is responsible for $ 6 trillion In annual federal payments – including Social Security and Medicare benefits – has led to criticism from democratic legislators and advocates.

In a new letter to Congress, the Treasury said the new development has not made these benefits payments to be “delayed or redirected.”

Last week was that reported Treasury secretary Scott Bessent gave access to the federal payment system for DOGE, an office within the president’s executive office. DOGE has been tasked with finding ways to reduce federal spending and increase government efficiency.

Democratic lawmakers and lawyers have raised their concern about what it might mean for the continuity of federal payments and access to American confidential information.

“Millions of Americans rely on these systems for social security control, Medicare benefits, federal wages, grants and taxation,” Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sent Monday on xthat calls the speed “extraordinarily dangerous.”

Social security recipients “have every reason to be frightened,” according to a statement from National Committee to preserve Social Security and Medicare.

“It all depends on what they (in DOGE) think is effective and what is not effective,” said Dan Adcock, director of government relationship and politics of the national committee.

“These programs are lifelines for millions of people and seniors with disabilities throughout the country,” he said.

According to Musk, the government may have the ability to stop insurance payments for social security, as well as other benefits such as Medicaid or Meals on Wheels, according to the National Committee.

Payments on federal contracts and foreign assistance may also be affected by Lindsay OwensManaging Director at the Groundwork Cooperation.

The idea that a privately citizen-not chosen and unconfirmed by the Senate-Var in possession of the Ministry of Finance’s payment system and had access to the American personal financial and identifying information is “a fire with five alarms for us,” Owens said.

However, an official in the White House, who spoke on the background, said many of the perception of what the change could mean unfounded.

“All doers are looking to do is restructure the payment system to reflect the president’s goals and his mission, especially with regard to the executive orders,” the White House official said.

“Any payments that go for social security, Medicare, Medicaid, these are not contrary to the president’s executive order,” the official said. “Any claim otherwise is just a lie.”

In addition, any access to personal financial information will be limited to government employees who have proper security ready to do so, the official said.

In a Tuesday letter to members of Congress, an official of the Ministry of Finance said that the current review of fiscal policy that operates federal government’s payment systems “has not led to payments for obligations such as Social Security and Medicare to be delayed or redirected.”

Furthermore, state employees working with Treasury employee Tom Krause “will have read-only access to the coded data from fiscal services’ payment systems to continue this operational efficiency assessment,” the Official wrote. Krause, CEO of the Cloud Software Group, had worked with DOGE and has been hired By the Treasury.

Trump -Administration has offered federal employees Buyouts, whereby they can resign and get paid through September. Federal workers have until Thursday to accept resignation.

The policy may have a negative impact on the Social Security Administration already facing 25-year-old Lues in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management.

“Trump’s buyout offer would have devastating consequences for the tens of thousands of millions of Americans who are dependent on social security,” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, DN.Y., said in a statement.

More from Personal Economy:
How Customs can affect US consumers
Fed keeps the rates stable. What it means to you
IRS announces the start of the tax season 2025

Social Security Administration has “historically struggled to provide important services in a timely manner,” the senators wrote in their letter. By 2024, Social Security’s average telephone has been 45 minutes. By 2023, the average waiting time for decisions for disability services was 230 days.

All federal agencies have funding through a continued decision through March 14. Then it’s up to Congress, according to Adcock.

Social Security Administration has said it will take time to implement a new law, the Social Security Act, which will provide more than 3 million Americans who also receive public pensions with increased monthly benefit control, as well as lump sum repayments.

“Although SSA helps some affected recipients now, during SSA’s current budget, SSA expects it to take more than a year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive advantage,” the Agency States on its website.