Social Security no-show phone appointments - is this common or just me?

It happens, but it's not as common as your neighbor's experience suggests. I've had about 8 phone appointments with SSA over the past few years (for my parents and myself), and only one was missed. For that one, I called SSA back, and they explained their agent had called out sick that day, but no one had reassigned her appointments. They rescheduled me for the next day. Some tips to improve your chances: - Confirm your appointment 1-2 days before by calling their main number - Make sure your phone number is correct in their system - Be ready 15 minutes before and after your scheduled time - If no call after 30 minutes, call them to check status Having said all that, for something as important as a SSDI continuing disability review (CDR), you might want the in-person appointment anyway. The documentation review is more thorough, and you can make sure everything is handled correctly.

OMG this literally JUST happened to me two days ago!!! I waited all morning for a call about my retirement application, took off work and everything, and NOTHING. When I called the 800 number they said the person was "out unexpectedly" but nobody bothered to tell me??? How hard is it to make a courtesy call?? Had to reschedule for next week and take ANOTHER day off. So irritated with SSA right now. Their system is so broken!!!

I had the same worry last month! I found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually get through to SSA quickly to confirm my appointment. They got me past the hold times (which were over 2 hours when I tried myself). I used it again when my appointment time passed with no call. The agent told me they were running 45 minutes behind that day and apologized. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - the website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it to avoid waiting all day just to find out something went wrong.

i had 4 phone appointments with them last year and all of them happened. they called about 10 min late each time but they did call. make sure ur phone doesn't block unknown numbers tho cause thats how they show up

This whole thread is making me nervous! I have my SS retirement application phone appointment next Tuesday and I'm already anxious about the process. I hope they don't miss my call too.

I work as a benefits counselor and can provide some context on this issue. The no-show problem has gotten worse since the pandemic for several reasons: 1. SSA is severely understaffed (down approximately 7,000 employees) 2. Their appointment scheduling system doesn't always sync properly with agent workloads 3. Field offices are prioritizing in-person visits over phone appointments 4. Technical issues with their phone systems persist My recommendation for disability reviews specifically (CDRs) is to always opt for in-person if possible. These reviews directly impact your continued eligibility, and having face-to-face interaction reduces the chance of miscommunication. If you must do phone, call to confirm 24-48 hours before, and if they miss the appointment, immediately call the main number and explain what happened. Ask to speak with a supervisor if needed - they can often fit you in the same day rather than rescheduling weeks out.

when I had my disability review last year they were supposed to call at 1pm but didn't call till almost 3. i almost gave up thinking they forgot but the lady said they were just backed up. so maybe just plan to be available longer than u think? also make sure ur phone ringer is on lol i missed one call before cuz my phone was on silent 🤦‍♀️

My husband had three appointments for his retirement benefits last year. The first one they never called, the second one they called but got disconnected in the middle and never called back, and the third one finally worked out. It's definitely frustrating but they did eventually get it all sorted out.

Quick update on something I forgot to mention earlier - if you're having a continuing disability review (CDR), make sure you have a copy of your original medical evidence handy during the call. While they should have all this in their system, I've found it helpful to be able to reference specific doctor names, treatment dates, and diagnoses from your initial approval. Makes the whole process go much smoother and reduces the chance they'll schedule yet another follow-up appointment.

Update to my earlier comment - I called SSA today to check on my rescheduled appointment and they have NO RECORD of it in their system!!! I'm absolutely furious right now. The agent I spoke with today apologized but couldn't find any notes from my previous call. Now I'm rescheduled AGAIN for two weeks from now. This is the most dysfunctional government agency I've ever dealt with!

I've had mixed experiences with SSA phone appointments over the years. Out of about 6 appointments, 2 were no-shows and 1 was over an hour late. The frustrating part is they don't always update their system when agents call out sick or have emergencies. For your disability review specifically, I'd strongly recommend going in-person if at all possible. CDRs are too important to risk miscommunication or technical issues. If you absolutely must do phone, here's what worked for me: - Call the day before to confirm your appointment is still in the system - Ask for a confirmation number and write it down - Have a backup plan - know your local field office hours in case you need to walk in - Keep detailed notes of every interaction (date, time, agent name if they give it) The in-person route might be more of a hassle upfront, but it's worth the peace of mind for something that affects your benefits. Good luck with your review!

I just went through this exact situation last month! Had a CDR phone appointment that was a no-show, then the rescheduled one was 2 hours late. After reading through all these experiences, I ended up switching to in-person for my final review and I'm SO glad I did. The in-person appointment was much more thorough and I felt like I could actually explain my situation properly. Plus, I walked out with a receipt showing everything was completed - no wondering if they'll "lose" my case in the system. For what it's worth, when I called to switch from phone to in-person, the scheduler told me they've been having ongoing issues with their phone appointment system since they upgraded it last year. She actually recommended in-person for disability reviews because of how important they are. I know it's more of a hassle with transportation and taking time off work, but honestly the peace of mind was worth it. Your SSDI is too important to risk on a system that seems to be failing people regularly.

As someone who's been through multiple SSA interactions, I can share that phone appointment reliability has definitely gotten worse over the past couple years. I've had 3 phone appointments in the last 18 months - one went perfectly on time, one was 45 minutes late (but they did call), and one was a complete no-show that I had to reschedule. The key things that helped me: - Always get a confirmation number when scheduling - Call 2 days before to verify the appointment is still in their system - Be available for at least 2 hours around your scheduled time - Have the main SSA number ready to call if they're more than 30 minutes late That said, for a disability review I'd honestly recommend going in-person if you can manage it. CDRs are too critical to your ongoing benefits to risk on their unreliable phone system. Yes, it's more inconvenient, but you'll have documentation that everything was completed and you can ensure they have all the information they need. The staffing issues others mentioned are real - my local office told me they're operating with about 60% of their pre-pandemic staff levels, which explains a lot of the communication breakdowns.

I just want to add my voice to the "go in-person if you can" chorus. I had a CDR phone appointment last fall that turned into a nightmare - the agent called 2 hours late, we got disconnected halfway through when I was explaining my medical conditions, and when I called back they said there was no record of our partial conversation. Had to start completely over with a new appointment. The worst part was the anxiety of not knowing if they had documented any of what we discussed before the call dropped. With SSDI, you can't afford those kinds of uncertainties. I ended up driving 45 minutes to my field office for an in-person appointment and it was night and day different. The representative was thorough, professional, and I walked out with a stamped receipt showing my review was complete. No wondering if something got lost in the system. I know in-person isn't always feasible for everyone (especially those of us with disabilities), but if you can possibly arrange transportation and time off, it's worth it for the peace of mind alone. Your benefits are too important to leave to their glitchy phone system.

I'm going through my first CDR process and this thread is both terrifying and incredibly helpful! Reading about all the missed calls and system glitches has me seriously reconsidering my phone appointment. I originally chose phone because I have mobility issues and getting to the field office is challenging, but after seeing how many people had appointments disappear from the system or calls that never happened, I'm thinking the transportation struggle might be worth it for the peace of mind. Does anyone know if SSA provides any accommodations for people who have difficulty getting to field offices? I can arrange a ride if needed, but I'm wondering if there are any special provisions for disability reviews when transportation is an issue. Also, for those who switched from phone to in-person - was it easy to make that change or did they give you pushback? I'm worried they'll make me wait even longer if I try to switch now. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here. It's really eye-opening to see how widespread these phone appointment issues are.

I've been dealing with SSA for years and can confirm the phone appointment issues are unfortunately very real. I've had probably 15+ phone appointments over the past 3 years for various family members, and I'd say about 20% were complete no-shows, with another 30% running significantly late (over an hour). The pattern I've noticed is that morning appointments (9-11am) seem to have better success rates than afternoon ones. My theory is that by afternoon, they're already behind schedule from earlier issues and things just cascade. For CDRs specifically, I cannot stress enough how important it is to go in-person if at all possible. I've seen too many horror stories of people losing benefits because of miscommunication or technical issues during phone reviews. The in-person process gives you: 1. Written documentation that the review was completed 2. Ability to provide physical documents if needed 3. No risk of call drops or technical failures 4. Face-to-face interaction which can be crucial for explaining complex medical situations If you absolutely cannot do in-person, here's my phone appointment survival kit: - Confirm 48 hours AND 24 hours before - Have all medical records organized and easily accessible - Use a landline if possible (more reliable than cell) - Plan to be available for 3 hours around your appointment time - Have the main SSA number programmed in your phone to call if they're late Your SSDI is too important to gamble on their broken phone system. The extra effort to get to the field office is worth preserving your benefits.

I'm a newcomer to this community but not to SSA struggles unfortunately. Just wanted to chime in with my recent experience - I had a CDR phone appointment scheduled for last Tuesday and they never called. When I finally got through to them the next day (after 3 hours on hold), they said the agent had a "system issue" and my appointment wasn't properly logged. What really bothered me was that I could have been doing other things instead of sitting by the phone all day waiting. I ended up rescheduling for in-person after reading similar stories online, and honestly I wish I had just done that from the start. For anyone still on the fence about phone vs in-person for CDRs - just go in-person if you possibly can. I know it's a hassle but your benefits are too important to trust to their unreliable phone system. The peace of mind alone is worth the extra effort of getting there. Also, if you do stick with phone, definitely take everyone's advice about confirming multiple times beforehand. And maybe have a backup plan ready in case they're a no-show.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to SSA headaches. Just wanted to add my voice to the "go in-person for CDRs" recommendation based on my own recent experience. I had a disability review phone appointment last month that was a complete disaster. The agent called 90 minutes late, spent most of the call asking me to repeat information that should have been in my file, and then the call cut out during the middle of discussing my medical limitations. When I called back, they said they'd need to schedule a completely new appointment because they couldn't locate the partial notes from our conversation. At that point I said forget it and switched to in-person. Best decision I made! The field office representative was professional, thorough, and actually seemed to understand the importance of the review. I walked out with documentation showing everything was completed properly. I know in-person appointments are more challenging, especially when you're dealing with disabilities, but for something that determines whether you keep your benefits, it's worth the extra effort. The phone system is just too unreliable for something this critical. For anyone still considering phone appointments - at minimum follow the great advice others have shared about confirming multiple times and being prepared to wait hours past your scheduled time. But honestly, save yourself the stress and go in-person if you possibly can.

As someone new to this community but unfortunately not new to SSA frustrations, I wanted to share my perspective after reading through all these experiences. I'm currently dealing with my own upcoming CDR and was initially planning to do it by phone, but honestly, reading through this thread has been a real wake-up call. The consistency of these phone appointment failures is alarming - missed calls, system glitches, lost records, hours of waiting for calls that never come. When I see that even benefits counselors and people with extensive SSA experience are recommending in-person for CDRs, that tells me everything I need to know. I think what strikes me most is how these aren't just minor inconveniences - people are taking time off work, arranging childcare, and dealing with serious anxiety about appointments that simply don't happen. And for disability reviews specifically, the stakes couldn't be higher. Your entire financial security depends on this process going smoothly. After reading everyone's advice, I'm definitely switching my appointment to in-person. Yes, it's more challenging logistically, especially when dealing with disabilities, but the peace of mind of having face-to-face interaction and walking out with documentation that everything was completed properly seems absolutely worth it. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's incredibly valuable to get this real-world insight into what's actually happening with SSA's systems right now.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful for all the detailed experiences everyone has shared here. I've been dreading my upcoming CDR and was planning to do it by phone, but after reading through all these stories about missed calls, system failures, and lost records, I'm convinced that in-person is the only safe option. What really opened my eyes was seeing how many people had to take multiple days off work for appointments that never happened, and then still ended up having to go to the field office anyway. The anxiety of not knowing if your review was properly completed or if it got lost in their system sounds absolutely terrible when your benefits depend on it. I'm going to call tomorrow to switch my appointment to in-person. Yes, it'll be more challenging with transportation and scheduling, but reading about people walking out with documentation that everything was completed gives me so much more confidence than hoping a phone call goes through properly. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - this thread has been incredibly eye-opening about just how unreliable SSA's phone system has become. For something as critical as a disability review, the extra effort to get to the field office is definitely worth the peace of mind.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really thankful for all the detailed experiences shared in this thread. I have my own CDR coming up in a few weeks and was originally planning to do it by phone since it seemed more convenient, but reading through everyone's stories has completely changed my mind. The pattern of missed calls, system glitches, and lost records is really concerning - especially when multiple people mentioned having appointments just disappear from SSA's system entirely. What really got to me was reading about calls cutting out mid-conversation during disability reviews and then having no record of what was discussed. That's exactly the kind of nightmare scenario I need to avoid. I'm definitely switching to an in-person appointment after seeing how many people had much better experiences that way. Yes, it's going to be more challenging to arrange transportation and time off work, but the peace of mind of having face-to-face interaction and walking out with proper documentation seems absolutely worth it for something this important. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's been incredibly valuable in helping me make the right decision for my CDR. The consensus seems pretty clear that for disability reviews specifically, in-person is the safest route given how unreliable their phone system has become.

As someone new to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm scheduled for my own CDR next month and was originally planning to do it by phone, but after reading through everyone's experiences, I'm absolutely switching to in-person. The sheer number of people reporting missed calls, system failures, and appointments disappearing from SSA's records is honestly shocking. When I see stories about calls cutting out during the middle of explaining medical conditions, or people taking multiple days off work for appointments that never happen, it really drives home how broken their phone system has become. What really sealed the decision for me was seeing how consistently positive the in-person experiences were compared to the phone disasters. Walking out with documentation that your CDR was completed properly versus wondering if your case got lost in their system - that's not even a close call for something this critical. I know arranging transportation and taking time off work is a hassle, especially when dealing with disabilities, but my benefits are too important to gamble on a system that seems to fail people regularly. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - you've probably saved me from a lot of stress and potential problems!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences about SSA phone appointments. I'm scheduled for my own CDR in a couple of weeks and was planning to do it by phone, but after reading through this entire thread, I'm definitely switching to in-person. The consistency of these phone system failures is really alarming - missed calls, disconnections during critical conversations, appointments disappearing from their system entirely. What strikes me most is that these aren't just minor inconveniences, but potentially devastating problems when your disability benefits are on the line. The advice from people with extensive SSA experience has been invaluable. When benefits counselors and people who've dealt with multiple appointments are all recommending in-person for CDRs, that speaks volumes about how unreliable their phone system has become. I know getting to the field office will be more challenging logistically, but the peace of mind of face-to-face interaction and walking out with documentation that everything was properly completed is worth the extra effort. For something that determines whether you keep your benefits, why would you risk it on a system that fails people this regularly? Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences - you've helped me make a much more informed decision about something that's incredibly important to my financial security.