Social Security’s $300 Million IT Project Doesn’t Work

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration has spent nearly $300 million on a new computer system to handle disability claims, but the agency can't get it to work. And officials can't say when it will.

Six years ago, Social Security embarked on an aggressive plan to replace outdated computer systems overwhelmed by a growing flood of disability claims. But an internal report says the project has been racked by delays and mismanagement.

In the meantime, people filing for disability claims face long delays at nearly every step of the process — delays that were supposed to be reduced by the new processing system.

The report was commissioned by Social Security to save the project. It was done by consulting firm McKinsey & Co.