[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6084808,"mediaKeyId","2907403-f9e77bb0b4244a197a54666d7b8272ed","parentId",2907403,"title","Frank Bisignano pledges to improve SSA service and protect beneficiary data in Senate hearing","audioSeconds",4485,"startMs",2852000,"endMs",7337000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2907403-f9e77bb0b4244a197a54666d7b8272ed&start=2852&end=7337","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2907403-f9e77bb0b4244a197a54666d7b8272ed/thumbnail_2852000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6084808/Frank-Bisignano-pledges-to-improve-SSA-service-and-protect-beneficiary-data-in-Senate-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084808-aa54ee3e7d0c06901981e17fb0200ec6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770698240&Signature=jp2MsXNRA7e4hALLdGNzK~jHyQPLf2foRLLJ8xrIz1aGyH-hjkp2krJ8wcBsoDJHIgq0Y9EXWKK4VmAT3rd6o7bZyKLGylHmaz3~rY1-N213i3Gw3-IjQdCn~q-BflzUR5MSxpszpCWDhLB~tE7OV4s~FrziXC3BWLGlhcicaeTxii8zdBmBstTk~4K-sEVZ8OvzHv7BMKjWbr3OqAslpSym~25Nud1Vykq8Uh5KfcGY7XO2f1xvnmljC393owRk4kkRKECCb3JR3JuI78zQsgBJYK7EvvCXMB4qKznZztfNRnRjOXY0zJwz~rZg7PanQY~0rttwqIoHjSDoIspPPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Finance","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","Frank Bisignano, President Trump's nominee to be commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), told the Senate Finance Committee that he would prioritize improving customer service, reducing payment errors and safeguarding Americans' personally identifiable information if confirmed.

Bisignano characterized SSA as a \"payments-based customer-facing program\" and said he would focus on reducing wait times and lowering the agency's error rate: \"On the phone, I'm committed to reducing wait times and providing beneficiaries with a better experience,\" he said. He added he would \"get the error rate down\" and described the 1% error rate cited in the Office of Inspector General report as \"five decimal places too high.\"

Why it matters: SSA pays benefits to tens of millions of Americans and handles a large volume of sensitive personal information. Senators from both parties pressed the nominee on how he would restore service after recent staffing and operational changes and how he would protect data access after reports of outside advisors being given access to agency systems.

Committee questions focused on outside access and recent operational changes. Ranking Member Wyden and others pressed Bisignano on reports by a whistleblower and on actions by what witnesses and many senators called the administration's \"Doge\" efficiency effort, including whether outside advisors affiliated with the initiative had improper access to SSA databases. A federal judge had ordered limits on outside access, a point senators cited during questioning.

On protecting data, Bisignano said: \"I've spent my career protecting PII... I will ensure it's protected.\" When asked directly if he would \"lock Doge out\" of SSA databases, Bisignano said he would do \"whatever is required to protect the information that is private information\" and sought clarification of the term \"lock out,\" but repeatedly committed to protecting PII and to reviewing any access arrangements.

Several senators asked whether Bisignano would reverse recent policy changes that, they said, reduced phone service and proposed field-office closures. Bisignano said he would analyze those decisions and said \"there will be no decision made without you knowing about it\" when asked whether he would move to close field offices in specific states.

Bisignano described his approach to modernization as practical and incremental: he proposed building modern technology layers in front of legacy systems rather than replacing everything at once, and he said artificial intelligence could be used to assist agency staff and improve accuracy, not to replace beneficiary access to human assistance.

On statutory protections and benefits, Bisignano told senators he would \"run the agency in the right fashion\" and said he had \"no intent\" to cut Social Security benefits; he also said he would follow the law. When pressed about whether he would stand up to private advisers or the executive team if their proposals threatened beneficiaries, he said he would run the agency, report to the president and make decisions in the agency's interest.

The hearing included customary pre-nomination questions and a pledge from Bisignano to respond to congressional inquiries in writing. No committee roll-call vote was taken at the hearing; committee leaders said they will notify members about the time of any recorded vote.

Evidence cited during questioning included an OIG report on error rates, press reporting about long phone waits and a court order limiting outside access to SSA systems. Senators urged immediate fixes to phone wait times and disability-processing backlogs and sought a commitment that SSA would have sufficient staffing to deliver benefits.

Bisignano repeatedly framed his priorities as service, accuracy and data protection and said he would \"motivate the workforce\" of career staff to \"get our job right the first time for the American public.\"","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Frank Bisignano, of New Jersey, to be Commissioner of Social Security Administration for the term expiring January 19, 2031, vice Martin O'Malley, resigned ","oneSentenceSummary","Frank Bisignano, President Trump's nominee to lead the Social Security Administration, told the Senate Finance Committee he would prioritize reducing wait times, cutting payment errors and protecting beneficiary data if confirmed.","taxTitle","Finance: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1993,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6084813,"Senate Finance Committee readies vote on Dr. Oz nomination as Democrats warn of Medicaid cuts",1709,1141000,2850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2907403-f9e77bb0b4244a197a54666d7b8272ed&start=1141&end=2850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2907403-f9e77bb0b4244a197a54666d7b8272ed/thumbnail_1141000.jpg","/articles/6084813/Senate-Finance-Committee-readies-vote-on-Dr-Oz-nomination-as-Democrats-warn-of-Medicaid-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084813-40b3c0392bd44b9a33684e9e171c442d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770698240&Signature=KD3cfcecqkaTPyObWn7PJwORpi5iS~KegkHmdqBxK2DartCe5avf5JiH2YObfkhOWni9lo74FySRb0AnKilZKwxzwXgl6VOuwe4rjwDl96-b~NNJ6mSkSodOhrSCV3k0n78WmEzf319PmO5eUdGv6vWUWqoqw1wPmQG2Bv3xMWs~JhsrS4zkZhjmy4uxt8nZ18e~0yXDh7nacLnMeQCL6vs5aGhlczM3sov7v-aCWVoVSEpc8xl97UGB-vbAILhIIcfctAqu0yBSOXZFMnH2RxqBNEIb41pdoq14RoZ0DRIodRs~PAQP4IdnaHvA~t9h0Qfr0baMwrCFAHS5RpRdwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Finance Committee debated the nomination of Dr. Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), with a scheduled committee vote deferred to a time to be announced.

Several Democratic senators said Dr. Oz refused to assure the committee he would protect Medicaid from cuts that they say are likely under Republican budget proposals. \"When I asked him a yes or no question about whether he would protect Medicaid, he dodged, he weaved, he simply wouldn't answer,\" said Ranking Member Wyden. Senators Cantwell, Hassan and others said they would vote against the nomination unless the nominee clearly pledges to oppose cuts.

Why it matters: CMS oversees Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs that provide coverage for tens of millions of Americans. Lawmakers said changes to CMS policy or federal funding could affect nursing homes, hospitals and families who rely on Medicaid.

Senator Maria Cantwell, describing constituent testimony she’d heard in Washington state, said a mother worried that cuts would make it impossible to pay for nursing-home care. Cantwell quoted a constituent, Gail Halverson: \"Who's going to pay for the nursing home? That's Medicare or Medicaid. So are we just going to be left to die?\" Cantwell and other Democrats argued Oz had not committed to protecting Medicaid from reductions that they said would be required to satisfy certain House budget targets.

Senator Maggie Hassan said she found the nominee's remarks disqualifying because, she said, he \"refused to commit to following the law in the event that President Trump directs him to do something illegal.\" Hassan and other Democrats warned that proposed budget savings from the House would fall largely on Medicaid spending and said they feared Oz would implement policies that would reduce coverage.

Committee supporters signaled a different view. The committee chair said he planned to vote in favor of the nomination and emphasized members would be notified later about the timing of the formal vote. The chair's office did not announce a vote during the hearing; the committee recessed and said it would reconvene at a later time to conduct the vote.

Key context and figures cited in debate: Democrats asserted that House Republican budget proposals would require deep Medicaid savings, citing an $880,000,000,000 figure discussed during remarks as the scale of cuts sought by some Republicans. Senators also cited that Medicaid covers millions of children and a substantial share of nursing-home residents and hospital revenue in many states.

No formal vote was taken at the hearing. Committee leaders said members would be notified when the time and location for the roll-call vote are set.

Several senators used the hearing to outline broader policy concerns beyond the nominee's record, including alleged marketing practices in Medicare Advantage that some Democrats described as increasing costs for seniors and taxpayers.

The committee adjourned to a brief recess before beginning a separate nomination hearing later in the day.

Upcoming: The committee said it will announce the time and location of the vote on Dr. Oz's nomination once the schedule is confirmed.","The Senate Finance Committee heard statements for and against Dr. Oz’s nomination to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Committee Democrats criticized Oz for declining to commit to protecting Medicaid and for what they described as evasive testimony; the committee recessed and said a vote will be scheduled later.","actionData","errors"]

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Frank Bisignano pledges to improve SSA service and protect beneficiary data in Senate hearing

Senate Finance Committee readies vote on Dr. Oz nomination as Democrats warn of Medicaid cuts