Modernization of legacy government systems has become a pressing issue as reliance on outdated programming languages like COBOL continues to pose operational risks. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is now accelerating a project to overhaul the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) computer infrastructure. The transition aims to move SSA from COBOL, a language developed in the 1950s, to a newer, more efficient platform. This initiative has drawn attention due to its potential impact on millions of beneficiaries and the financial scale of the SSA’s operations. Questions persist about the feasibility and motivations behind the plan.
Efforts to modernize SSA’s systems date back several years. A 2017 announcement indicated plans to revamp the agency’s core platforms, anticipating hundreds of millions in federal support and a five-year completion timeline. However, priorities shifted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, redirecting focus toward public-facing improvements instead of backend modernization. The renewed push led by DOGE, under the direction of Steve Davis, seeks to complete what the SSA started but paused. Davis, previously associated with Elon Musk, now oversees the move away from COBOL, which still powers essential operations across federal agencies.
Why is COBOL Still Used in Government Systems?
Can DOGE’s Modernization Plan Overcome Past Setbacks?
The continued reliance on COBOL is often attributed to its reliability and deep integration into existing systems. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), many critical platforms, including those managed by the Department of Education, IRS, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, still use COBOL-based software that has remained functional for over five decades. A ZDNet report pointed out that the real issue at SSA may lie in poor system maintenance rather than fraud, adding that restructuring efforts must be carefully planned to avoid service disruption.
Wired’s recent report highlighted the scrutiny SSA is facing from the White House. Elon Musk, who oversees DOGE, claimed earlier this year to have uncovered fraudulent activities within SSA, though these allegations contradict multiple government audits reviewed by external sources. The contrast between claimed fraud and documented inefficiencies suggests that the push for a system overhaul may be driven as much by political narratives as by technical necessity.
SSA may soon be led by a new commissioner, Frank Bisignano, current CEO of Fiserv and nominated by President Trump for the role. At a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing, Bisignano laid out his priorities for the SSA.
“The ability to receive payments on time and accurately is job one. The ability to process any type of claim we receive is job one,”
he stated.
“On the phone, I’m committed to reducing wait times and providing beneficiaries with a better experience. Waiting 20 minutes-plus to get an answer will be [a thing] of yesteryear.”
His background in payments and customer service is expected to influence how SSA navigates the transition.
In the past, reports on SSA’s outdated systems have primarily focused on the technical debt and maintenance costs of running COBOL. However, recent attention has shifted toward fraud narratives and performance claims, likely due to changing political dynamics. Unlike earlier coverage that emphasized the technical complexity of modernization, current discussions now involve leadership changes and governance concerns, especially with DOGE and Fiserv’s involvement. This shift marks a broader interest in the operational transparency and accountability of federal benefit systems.
Replacing COBOL in a system as large and sensitive as the SSA’s is a complex task. COBOL continues to serve as the backbone of critical infrastructure, not because of inertia but due to the challenges in translating decades of business logic into new environments without disrupting services. Any large-scale migration must address security, continuity, and cost. DOGE’s involvement indicates prioritization at the federal level, but success will depend on coordination across agencies, vendor reliability, and technological execution. For stakeholders, this development also raises questions about future workforce needs, as COBOL-trained programmers retire and new skills become essential for maintaining and upgrading federal software systems.
