Form 001 Federal Annuitant Benefits Survey

Federal Annuitant Benefits Survey (FABS)
I. Introduction
Welcome to the Federal Annuitant Benefits Survey, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The results of the survey
will help guide benefits policy across the Federal Government and will provide helpful information to OPM about your experience with your
health plan. Your input is critical in ensuring that the Federal Government offers benefits that meet the needs of all annuitants.
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Participation is voluntary and your responses are anonymous. Please read each question carefully and answer as honestly as possible.

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The survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

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As you complete the survey, a bar at the bottom of each page will indicate your progress.

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The response scales change throughout the survey. Please take note of the response scale when responding to each question.

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When navigating through the survey, please use the buttons on the bottom of the survey pages and not your browser's "Back" and
"Forward" buttons.

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If you have questions, please contact the Survey Support Center at surveys@opm.gov
Survey Item

Are you a retired federal employee or the spouse of a retired federal employee?

Response Choices
Yes
No

Are you enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program? (This is your health
care coverage)

Yes
No
Yes

Are you currently covered by TRICARE?
No
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Yes
Are you 65 years or older?
No
Yes, part A (hospital insurance)
Yes, part B (medical insurance)
Are you enrolled in Medicare?
Select all that apply.

Yes, part C (Medicare Advantage)
Yes, part D (prescription coverage)
No, I am not enrolled in any Medicare
options

II. Your Health Plan Experience
This section asks you to provide feedback about your experience with the health insurance plan you have through the Federal Employees Health
Benefits Program.

Survey Item
Which Federal Employee Health Benefits plan are you currently enrolled in? (“Please select
from the list below.”)

Response Choices
Drop down menu of top 20 FEHB plans
and an option for “other (please specify)”
Note: updated top 20 list will be added at
the time the survey is fielded
Internet (websites, emails, etc.)

How do you usually access information about your FEHB plan?

Phone
Mailings/Plan Brochures
From my former agency

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Other
Always
Usually
In the last 12 months, how often was it easy to get the care, tests, or treatment you needed?

Sometimes
Never
N/A
Always
Usually

In the last 12 months, when you needed care right away, how often did you get care as soon as
you needed?

Sometimes
Never
N/A
Always
Usually

In the last 12 months, how often did you get an appointment for a check-up or routine care at a
doctor’s office or clinic as soon as you needed?

Sometimes
Never
N/A
Customer service
Prescription coverage

What do you like best about your FEHB plan?
Select up to 3.

Hospital coverage
Medical coverage
Health and wellness
programs/discounts/incentives
Health reimbursement arrangement

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My doctor is in the network
Access to primary care physicians
Access to specialists
My plan is easy to understand
The services I need are covered
My out of pocket costs are minimal
My insurance is accepted everywhere
Other (please specify)
Always
Usually
In the last 12 months, how often were you able to find out from your health plan how much you
would have to pay for a health care service or equipment

Sometimes
Never
N/A
Always
Usually

In the last 12 months, how often were you able to find out from your health plan how much you
would have to pay for specific prescription medicines?

Sometimes
Never
N/A
Always

In the last 6 months, how often did your FEHB health plan’s customer service give you the
information or help you needed?

Usually
Sometimes
Never
N/A

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Always
Usually
In the last 12 months, how often did your FEHB health plan handle your claims quickly?

Sometimes
Never
Don’t know
N/A
Always
Usually

In the last 12 months, how often did your FEHB health plan handle your claims correctly?

Sometimes
Never
Don’t know
N/A

To what extent does your FEHB plan meet your needs?

To a great extent
To a moderate extent
To a slight extent
Not at all adequate
Extremely important

Please tell us how important your FEHB plan is to you.

Important
Neutral
Slightly important
Not at all important

Considering the amount you have to pay, how you would rate the value (benefits you receive for
your money) of your FEHB plan?

Excellent value for the money
Good value for the money
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Fair value for the money
Poor value for the money

III. Prescription Drug Coverage
This section asks you to provide feedback about your experience using your prescription drug coverage.
Survey Item

Response Choices
Always

In the last 12 months, how often was it easy to use your prescription drug coverage to fill a
prescription at your local pharmacy?

Usually
Sometimes
Never
N/A
Always
Usually

In the last 12 months, how often was it easy to use your prescription drug coverage to fill a
prescription by mail?

Sometimes
Never
N/A
Always

In the last 12 months, how often did your health plan give you all the information you needed
about which prescription medicines were covered?

Usually
Sometimes
Never
N/A

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Always
In the last 12 months, how often did your health plan give you all the information you needed
about how much you would have to pay for your prescription medicines?

Usually
Sometimes
Never
N/A

In the last 6 months, have you talked to a doctor or other health provider about stopping or
starting a prescription medicine?

Yes
No
A lot

(IF YES) When you talked about starting or stopping a prescription medicine, how much did a
doctor or other health provider talk about the reasons you might want to take a medicine?

A little
Some
Not at all
A lot

(IF YES) When you talked about starting or stopping a prescription medicine, how much did a
doctor or other health provider talk about the reasons you might not want to take a medicine?

A little
Some
Not at all

IV. Health & Wellness
This section contains general questions about your overall health, diet, exercise and tobacco use.

Survey Item
In general, how would you rate your overall health?

Response Choices
Excellent
Very Good
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Good
Fair
Poor
Very confident
How confident are you in your ability to maintain a high quality of life throughout your senior
years?

Somewhat confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident

In 2011, FEHB plans began comprehensive coverage of up to two tobacco quit attempts per
year, including all recommended drugs, up to 8 counseling sessions, and no enrollee cost
sharing. Before you read this information, were you aware of this benefit?
Have you used any tobacco products (i.e. cigarettes, chewing tobacco, other tobacco products)
within the past 30 days?
*Skip patterns will be utilized in electronic survey for tobacco questions.

Yes
No
Yes
No, but I used tobacco in the past (more
than 30 days ago).
No, I have never used tobacco
Within the past year
1-2 years ago

When did you quit using tobacco?

Over two years ago
N/A, I use tobacco on an
infrequent/social basis
Yes

When you quit using tobacco, did you use the FEHB tobacco cessation benefit?

When you quit using tobacco, which elements of the FEHB tobacco cessation benefit did you
use?

No
Don’t know/not sure
Prescription medications (i.e., bupropion,
varenicline, clonidine) at no cost to you
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Counseling sessions with a health
professional at no cost to you.
Other
Every day
Do you now smoke cigarettes every day, some days, or not at all?

Some days
Not at all
Every day

Do you currently use chewing tobacco, snuff, or snus every day, some days, or not at all?

Some days
Not at all
Yes

Do you want to quit using tobacco products permanently?

No
Don’t know/Not sure
Extremely likely
Likely

How likely are you to try to quit using tobacco now that FEHB plans will pay for tobacco
cessation counseling and medications?

Neither more or less likely
Unlikely
Extremely unlikely

During the past 12 months, have you stopped using tobacco for one day or longer because you
were trying to quit?
During the past 12 months, how many times have you attempted to quit using tobacco?

Not sure
Yes
No
1-2 times

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3-5 times
More than 5 times
Call a telephone quit line?
Use a class or program to help you quit?

The last time you tried to quit using tobacco products, did you…
(Check all that apply.)

In the past 12 months, did any doctor, dentist, nurse, or other health professional advise you to
quit smoking cigarettes or using any other tobacco products?

Use one-on-one counseling from a health
professional to help you quit?
Use over the counter medications (i.e.,
nicotine gum, patches, lozenges)
Use prescription medications (i.e.,
bupropion, varenicline, clonidine)
None of the above
Yes
No
Don’t know/haven’t seen a health
professional
Yes

In the past 12 months, did a doctor or other health professional advise you to lose weight?

No
Don’t know/haven’t seen a health
professional
Yes, a HRA was available through my
health plan.

In the past 12 months, have you completed a health risk assessment (HRA)?

No, but I knew a HRA was available
through my health plan.

(will provide a definition on the survey itself, using FEVS/FEBS format)

No, a HRA was not made available to
me.
Don’t know

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Yes
In the past 12 months, did you set one or more specific goals to manage your health?

No
Don’t know
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree

Physical activity (i.e., aerobic or muscle strengthening exercises) is an important part of my
lifestyle.

Disagree
Strongly disagree
N/A, Physical illness/injury prevent me
from participating in these types of
physical activities
Yes,

Do you have access to a wellness program? (The program may include nutrition counseling,
medication management, fitness classes, health coaching, etc.)

No
Don’t know/not sure

Yes, I participate in a program through
my health plan.
(if selected yes) Do you participate in a wellness program?

Yes, I participate in a program through
my local community/senior center.
No, I do not participate in a program.

Strongly agree
I prioritize eating healthy, nutritious foods as part of my daily life.

Agree
Neither agree nor disagree

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Disagree
Strongly disagree

V. About You
This section includes basic demographic items and questions about how you access your personal health information.
Survey Item

Response Choices
Frequently

How often do you use e-mail?

Occasionally
Never
Often

How often do you use the internet to access health information online? (This includes apps on phones or
tablets)

Sometimes
Rarely
Never

What is your zip code?

(fill-in blank)
Federal Employees Retirement
System (FERS)

Which retirement system are you (or your spouse) covered by?

Are you:
How old are you?

Civil Service Retirement System
(CSRS)

Male
Female
(fill in blank)
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American Indian or Alaska
Native
Please select the racial category or categories with which you most closely identify.
Select all that apply.

Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander
White

Are you Hispanic or Latino?

Yes
No
Less than 5 years ago
5-10 years ago

When did you retire?

11-20 years ago
More than 20 years ago

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