Tamper-Proof Social Security Cards Could Cost $10 Billion
WASHINGTON - The government could produce a tamper-proof Social Security card with an individual worker's picture, but it could cost $10 billion and take 10 years to generate new cards for every American, the Social Security Administration reported yesterday.
The study, which comes amid growing concerns over fraudulent use of cards by undocumented workers, represents the most serious examination so far of making Social Security cards more resistant to counterfeiting.
Issued in response to a request by Congress in last year's immigration and welfare reforms, the report does not make any recommendations on whether new cards should be issued.
An "enhanced" card of this type also "raises policy issues about privacy and the potential for the card to be used as a national identification card," the agency said.
About 277 million cards are outstanding, printed on paper with few security features. Issuance of new cards would be a massive job, particularly with the addition of information on an individual's citizenship status, a picture or a fingerprint.
All these additional features would make it considerably more difficult to obtain cards illegally. But the production of cards would become more costly, and the card could be employed as a national identification document.
Many Americans strongly oppose the concept of national identification cards as a violation of privacy and a threat to their civil liberties.
The total of 277 million card-holders, which exceeds the U.S. population of 268 million, includes cards issued to people who have died, but whose death has not been reported to Social Security, and cards held by noncitizens who have left the country.
To produce the new card, the agency would mail at least two pieces of correspondence to each card-holder: a general announcement and a specific letter asking for documentation about the individual, according to the report.
The most secure - and expensive - card considered in the report would include the individual's picture, fingerprint, and complete information on work history and earnings. This approach would cost about $10 billion.
Basic plastic cards with limited security features and without individual photographs would cost about $3.9 billion.
Congress also asked Social Security to look into charging for the new card. Costs would range from $18.70 for a basic plastic card to $37.90 for a card with optical storage containing information on the worker's earnings, the report said.
No fees are charged now for the cards, and any new fee undoubtedly would stir considerable public opposition.