Social Security: Mass Issuance of Counterfeit-Resistant Cards Expensive, but Alternatives Exist

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Social Security Administration's (SSA) and the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) estimates of the costs of issuing a counterfeit-resistant card social security, focusing on: (1) the differences in CBO's and SSA's estimates for replacing the social security card; (2) SSA's estimates of the cost of issuing a more secure card; and (3) additional issuance options.