Social Security office appointments - how to get through when phones ring for hours?

Unfortunately, yes, most Social Security offices are by appointment only since they reopened after COVID. The phone system is completely overwhelmed - I had the same experience last month trying to deal with my disability review. I ended up having success by calling right when they open at 8am, but even then I was on hold for over an hour. Whatever you do, DON'T just show up without an appointment - they'll just turn you away (happened to my neighbor).

I was in the exact same boat last month! After days of frustration, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to SSA without the endless waiting. It basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of listening to hold music! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I was skeptical but it actually worked - I got my Medicare enrollment questions answered the same day.

u can also try the my social security account online to do some things without an appointment

SSA Field Office Manager here. There are three ways to contact us currently: 1. Call the National 800 number (1-800-772-1213) between 8am-7pm Monday-Friday 2. Call your local office directly (though as you've discovered, these lines are extremely busy) 3. Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount for many self-service options For Medicare enrollment specifically, you can also apply online at ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/ If you're approaching 65, you're in your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which begins 3 months before your birth month and extends 3 months after. Missing this period can result in permanent premium penalties, so your concern is valid. What specific Medicare questions do you have? I might be able to help here.

The whole system is RIGGED to make it impossible to reach anyone!!! I spent TWO MONTHS trying to fix a simple payment issue. They WANT us to give up. My congressman's office finally had to get involved. Try contacting your local representative's office - they have special liaisons with SSA.

For your Medicare enrollment situation specifically, since you're working for a small employer (under 20 employees), Medicare WILL become your primary insurance at 65. This means: 1. You MUST enroll in both Medicare Part A and Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period to avoid penalties 2. You CANNOT continue contributing to an HSA once enrolled in any part of Medicare (including just Part A) 3. You should coordinate with your employer's plan administrator about how your group coverage will work as secondary insurance This is why you're getting directed to call - your situation requires special coordination. The system is actually working correctly by telling you to speak with someone rather than letting you enroll in just Part A online, which would cause problems with your HSA contributions.

My sister managed 2 get an appointment by using the online contact form on SSA website. She filled it out asking for an appointment & they called her back in like 3 days to schedule. Worth a try!

After you do get through and schedule your appointment, make sure you show up EARLY with all your documents. My appointment was for 2pm but they actually called me in at 1:40pm, and if I hadn't been there already, they would have moved on to the next person. The security line can take 15-20 minutes alone.

As someone who just went through this nightmare myself, I feel your pain! What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I used the Claimyr service that CosmosCaptain mentioned (totally worth the small fee to avoid hours of hold time) AND I also submitted the online contact form on ssa.gov as a backup. The Claimyr service got me through in about 2 hours vs the days I'd been trying on my own. One thing I learned during my appointment - since you're turning 65 with small employer coverage, make sure to ask specifically about "creditable coverage" documentation from your current plan. You'll need this to avoid future penalties if you ever switch Medicare plans. The rep told me many people miss this step and it causes problems later. Good luck getting through!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Turning 65 in two months and my small company's HR department has been less than helpful about how Medicare will interact with our group plan. The phone system really is broken - I've tried calling both the 800 number and my local office multiple times with no luck. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like I need to try that Claimyr service and also submit the online contact form as backup. @Chloe Wilson - thank you for explaining the small employer rules! That clarifies why I can't just enroll in Part A online. I had no idea about the HSA contribution restrictions either. One question for anyone who's been through this - how far in advance should I schedule my appointment? I'm worried about getting too close to my 65th birthday and missing something important in the enrollment timeline.