The Social Security Administration, or the SSA, is the government agency responsible for the collection and distribution of social security funding and benefits. All of the government programs, including social security payments to the elderly or disabled, Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income fall under the jurisdiction of this organization. In addition, the issuance of social security numbers and cards- the American identification system- is performed by SSA offices around the country. The funding for all of these programs comes from taxes. Some are specifically designated as social security taxes, while others are just general allotments.