Hurricane Katrina: Activities of the Social Security Administration

Hurricane Katrina: Activities of the Social Security Administration

Order Code RS22250
September 9, 2005
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Hurricane Katrina: Activities of the Social
Security Administration
Scott Szymendera
Analyst in Social Security
Domestic Social Policy Division
Summary
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, the Social
Security Administration (SSA) implemented procedures to assist affected beneficiaries.
These procedures are designed to ensure an uninterrupted stream of retirement, disability
and survivors benefits as well as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits during
the immediate aftermath of this crisis. This report will outline these procedures and also
discuss SSA procedures after September 11, 2001, to facilitate new disability, SSI,
survivors, and death benefit applications. This report provides links to additional
information from SSA and other federal agencies. Because of the dynamic nature of the
situation, staff are encouraged to contact the Congressional Research Service (CRS) or
consult the links provided at the end of this report for updated information.
Procedures for Beneficiaries
Over 1.2 million Social Security retirement and disability and survivors beneficiaries
are in the counties affected by Hurricane Katrina.1 In addition, this same area has just
under 400,000 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries2 as shown in Table 1.3
According to SSA, ensuring that these beneficiaries are able to access their monthly
1 Social Security Administration, OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2004, (Washington:
GPO, 2005), pp. 6, 39, 48.
2 Social Security Administration, SSI Recipients by State and County, 2004, (Washington: GPO,
2005), pp. 3, 39, 50.
3 For more information on Social Security programs see CRS Report 94-27, Social Security: Brief
Facts and Statistics, by Gary Sidor; and CRS Report RL32279, Primer on Disability Benefits:
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), by April
Grady and Julie M. Whittaker.
Congressional Research Service { The Library of Congress

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benefits, whether via paper checks or direct deposit, is a key feature of the agency’s
response to this crisis.4
Table 1. Social Security Beneficiaries in Affected Areas of
Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi
Disability,
State
Retirement, and
SSI
Total
Survivors
Alabama (5 affected counties)
121,650
19,925
141,575
Louisiana (entire state)
740,378
169,547
909,925
Mississippi (51 affected counties)
386,675
202,907
589,582
Total
1,248,703
392,379
1,641,082
Source: Calculations of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) using December 2004 data from the
Social Security Administration (SSA).
Note: Affected counties are those included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration as reported by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Beneficiaries Who Receive Paper Checks
According to SSA, physical benefit checks have been and will be mailed on schedule
to beneficiaries. However, because of interruptions in the mail delivery system and the
relocation of residents from affected areas, many beneficiaries may not be able to receive
their checks in a timely manner.5 SSA, working with the United States Postal Service, has
established the following procedures for beneficiaries unable to access paper checks
through the mail:
! Beneficiaries have been able to pick up their original, re-routed, checks
at designated Temporary Mail Delivery stations established by the United
States Postal Service. All Temporary Mail Delivery stations will be
closed as of September 16, 2005.6
! Beneficiaries who do not pick up their original checks at Temporary Mail
Delivery stations may receive immediate payments at any open Social
Security office in the country. A list of open offices in Alabama,
Louisiana, and Mississippi is provided in Table 2;
! Checks that are not picked up at Temporary Mail Delivery stations will
be forwarded if a change of address card has been filed with the United
States Postal Service. The United States Postal Service is waiving the
4 Approximately 83% of all Social Security payments nationwide are currently paid through
direct deposit, more information will be provided later in this report for the states affected by
Hurricane Katrina.
5 See CRS Report RS22245, Postal Service for Katrina Survivors, by Nye Stevens.
6 For updated information, see the United States Postal Service website at [http://www.usps.com/
communications/news/serviceupdates.htm?from=bannercommunications&page=katrina#].

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usual 30 day limit on address changes and allowing displaced persons to
have mail forwarded to temporary shelters.
The Associated Press reports that, as of September 8, 2005, approximately 15,000
Social Security checks have been delivered at Temporary Mail Delivery stations.
Beneficiaries Who Receive Direct Deposit
Approximately 76% of Social Security retirement, disability and survivors
beneficiaries in Alabama and Mississippi and 72% of Social Security retirement,
disability and survivors beneficiaries in Louisiana have their benefits direct deposited into
their checking accounts.7 According to SSA, all direct deposits have been and will be
made on schedule. However, due to bank closures and the relocation of persons from
affected areas, beneficiaries may not be able to access their accounts and their deposited
benefits. SSA has established the following procedure to provide benefits to those unable
to access benefits deposited into their accounts:
! Beneficiaries unable to access benefits deposited into their accounts may
receive immediate payments at any open Social Security office. A list of
open offices in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi is provided in Table
2. However, beneficiaries from these states may receive immediate
payments at any Social Security office in the country.
Table 2. Status of SSA Field Offices in Affected States
(as of September 8, 2005)
Alabama
Louisiana
Mississippi
Office
Status
Office
Status
Office Status
Albertville
Open
Alexandria
Open
Biloxi
Closed
Alexander City
Open
Bastrop
Open
Brookhaven
Open
Andalusia
Open
Baton Rouge North
Open
Clarksdale
Open
Anniston
Open
Baton Rouge
Open
Cleveland
Open
Downtown
Bessemer
Open
Bogalusa
Closed
Columbus
Open
Birmingham (12th
Open
Covington
Closed
Corinth
Open
Avenue)
Birmingham
Open
DeRidder
Open
Greenville
Open
(Gadsen Highway)
7 Approximately 43% of SSI beneficiaries in Alabama, 40% in Louisiana, and 47% in
Mississippi, receive their benefits through direct deposit. Data on direct deposit rates for
retirement, disability, and survivors benefits can be found on SSA’s website at
[http://www.ssa.gov/deposit/T2StateSum_a.htm]. Data on direct deposit rates for SSI benefits
can be found on SSA’s website at [http://www.ssa.gov/deposit/T16StateSum_a.htm].

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Alabama
Louisiana
Mississippi
Cullman
Open
Hammond
Open
Greenwood
Open
Decatur
Open
Houma
Open
Grenada
Open
Dothan
Open
Kenner
Closed
Gulfport
Closed
Fairhope
Open
Lafayette
Open
Hattiesburg
Closed
Florence
Open
Lake Charles
Open
Jackson
Open
Gadsen
Open
Leesville
Open
Kosciusko
Open
Huntsville
Open
Minden
Open
Laurel
Open
Jackson
Open
Monroe
Open
McComb
Open
Jasper
Open
Morgan City
Open
Meridian
Open
Mobile
Open
Natchitoches
Open
Moss Point
Closed
Montgomery
Open
New Iberia
Open
Natchez
Open
Opelika
Open
New Orleans
Closed
Newton
Open
Bywater
Selma
Open
New Orleans
Closed
Olive Branch
Open
Downtown
Talladega
Open
New Orleans East
Closed
Philadelphia
Open
Tuscaloosa
Open
New Orleans West
Closed
Starkville
Open
Bank
Opelousas
Open
Tupelo
Open
Plaquemine
Open
Vicksburg
Open
Ruston
Open
Shreveport
Open
Tallulah
Open
Source: Compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) from information provided by SSA.
Procedures for Displaced Persons
A large number of residents of the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina have been
temporarily relocated to other areas of their home states or other areas of the country. To
accommodate these displaced persons, SSA has established satellite offices at the two
largest evacuation shelters, the Astrodome in Houston, Texas and Kelly Air Force Base
in San Antonio, Texas and is assigning employees to areas where the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) is providing services. The operating status of SSA field
offices as of September 8, 2005, is summarized below and detailed in Table 2.
! Alabama: All 24 SSA field offices are open,

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! Louisiana: 20 of 27 SSA field offices are open,
! Mississippi: 20 of 24 SSA field office are open.
Temporary Identification Procedures
It is expected that many of the residents of the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina
may not have access to traditional forms of photo identification or their Social Security
cards. In such cases, SSA staff are able to access the central computer system to verify
identification based on Social Security Numbers and other information such as address
and date of birth. According to SSA, once identified, individuals will be able to access
their SSA benefits and receive a signed statement from SSA verifying their Social
Security Number.
Procedures for SSA Employees
SSA is using existing employees displaced from their home offices to staff open field
and satellite offices. SSA has established three special numbers for SSA employees to
call to report their status and get instructions on where to report for work.
! Employees in the Atlanta Region (Alabama and Mississippi) should call
(866) 616-4684
! Employees in the Dallas Region (Louisiana) should call (866) 635-8703
! Employees in the Louisiana Disability Determination Services offices
should call (800) 587-3029
SSA Activities After September 11, 2001
The attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, were the last major national
disaster that required an agency-wide response from SSA. After the terrorist attacks, the
focus of SSA was in facilitating applications for disability and survivors benefits and in
maintaining the continuity of agency operations in the affected areas of New York,
Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Two years after the attacks, SSA reported that it had
processed 5,629 benefit claims from 2,281 families and was paying ongoing benefits to
3,228 survivors and 498 persons disabled during the attacks.8 To facilitate the processing
of these benefits SSA took the following steps:9
! Assigned SSA staff to Family Assistance Centers located at Pier 94 in
New York, Liberty State Park in New Jersey, and Arlington, VA. SSA
staff were also available at the Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville,
Pennsylvania and other locations including hospitals;
8 Data taken from SSA Press Release available on SSA’s website at
[http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/factsheets/Sept11Anniv-2003.htm].
9 Social Security’s Response to the September 11 Attacks: Hearing Before the House Committee
on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security, 107th Congress, (2001), (statement of
Larry Massanari, Acting Commissioner for Social Security).

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! Used the media and television spots to notify the public about SSA
activities and procedures for filing for benefits;
! Relocated the New York Regional Office to an open New York Field
Office and worked to reopen the closed New York offices quickly. All
New York area offices, with the exception of one office located in the
World Trade Center, were open by September 24, 2001;
! Worked with the United States Postal Service to ensure that benefits were
paid when mail service was interrupted;
! Worked with the airlines, police and fire departments, trade unions, and
affected companies to identify possible survivors and disability
applicants;
! Processed claims for survivors benefits in the absence of a death
certificate;
! Suspended the collection of overpayments from persons affected by the
attacks.
As of this report, SSA is still considering various additional forms of response to
Hurricane Katrina, including provisions for new disability and SSI applicants and the
processing of survivors benefits.
Sources of Additional Information
Due to the dynamic nature of the situation in the states affected by Hurricane
Katrina, it is likely that some of the information in this report may change as SSA refines
its response to this crisis. Staff are encouraged to check with the Congressional Research
Service (CRS) and the following additional sources for updated information.
Social Security Administration Hurricane Information
[http://www.ssa.gov/emergency/]
Social Security Administration Hotlines
(800) 772-1213 and (800) 325-0778 for TTY access
United States Postal Service Information
[http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates.htm?from=bannercommu
nications&page=katrina]
Social Security Field Office Information:
Alabama at [http://www.ssa.gov/atlanta/southeast/al/alabama.htm]
Louisiana at [http://www.ssa.gov/dallas/state_la.html]
Mississippi at [http://www.ssa.gov/atlanta/southeast/ms/mississippi.htm]
The Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Contact Scott Szymendera (x70014) or Kathleen Romig (x73742).