to a practitioner priority hotline. Makes it sound like they can get in super fast . . . they can't. But usually they will have better luck than the standard line.

With that said, when you call, never put in your social security number when the automated line asks you to; simply ignore it. When it asks a second time, ignore it. It will then route you to a live person. You will still wait forever, but at least you will be in the right line.

Lastly, try calling around 9:00 am mountain time, that's when I've had the best luck and have been able to get in the fastest lately. (You're still taking 20 minutes to a half hour, but at least I've gotten through with that; although that is on the practitioner priority hotline.)