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No. 23-6 For Immediate Release

May 2023

RRB Will Use Survey Results to Improve Disability Benefit Programs

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) earned a score of 70 in a recent survey 

of disability annuitants using methodology of the American Customer Satisfaction 

Index (ACSI). The study was conducted by the Federal Consulting Group and Claes 

Fornell International over a one-month period in November and December of 2022. A 

total of 258 individuals took part in the telephone survey.

The objective of the survey was to gather feedback from disability annuitants on 

their experiences as recipients of agency disability processes to help the RRB make 

data-driven decisions on investing in initiatives with the greatest potential for 

increasing customer satisfaction.

The results of the survey showed that annuitants ranked the RRB’s customer 

service and the consultative exam process most highly, with scores of 76 and 71, 

respectively. The consultative exam is a specialized medical exam ordered by the RRB 

that is geared to specific disabilities identified in the disability application and any 

medical evidence submitted with it. The study showed that about 60 percent of those 

surveyed were subject to a consultative exam.

The RRB awards two types of disability annuities. One is for total disability that 

prohibits any gainful employment and is identical to disability benefits paid by the 

Social Security Administration for non-railroad employees. The other type, 

occupational disability, pays benefits to railroad employees whose disability prevents 

them from working in their particular railroad job.

Overall, occupational disability annuitants gave the process a score of 73, slightly 

higher than the process score of 67 for total disability beneficiaries. In this survey, just 

over half of the overall score was attributable to occupational disability annuitants. The 

last survey of this group of RRB customers took place in 2006, when occupational 

disability annuitants accounted for about three-fourths of the overall score.

U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

RRB News

844 North Rush Street Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275

RRB.gov

General Information: 877-772-5772

Public Affairs

Media Inquiries: opa@rrb.gov

312-751-4777
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The overall satisfaction score of 70 is 15 points lower than the last study of this 

group. The survey administrators noted that this is consistent with the ACSI trend for 

the federal government as a whole, with COVID-related challenges negatively 

impacting satisfaction with federal services. This was reflected in comments by 

participants in the RRB survey, along with the increased emphasis in the most recent 

survey on total disability annuitants.

Nevertheless, the RRB’s overall score of 70 is still above the most recent ACSI 

score of 67 for the entire federal government. The overall federal score had also shown 

a decline since 2006 but has shown an upward trend over the past year as pandemic 

limitations and restrictions ended.

The areas identified as most in need of improvement in the survey were the process 

for issuing a final decision and the process of completing an application. Both groups 

surveyed gave low scores to the decision letter process, with a score of 67 by 

occupational disability annuitants and 63 for total disability annuitants. The biggest 

complaint by both groups was the amount of time it took to receive a final decision.

In terms of filing an application, the groups gave similar scores, with occupational 

disability slightly higher at 62 and total disability beneficiaries at 60. Specific concerns 

in this area included the ease of completing an application and the amount of time 

required.

Based on the results of the survey, the RRB will continue to strive for excellence in 

the areas of customer service and consultative medical exams while identifying 

improvements to other aspects of the disability application process that will have the 

greatest impact on performance, efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction.

The ACSI methodology has measured hundreds of federal programs since 1999 and 

allows for benchmarking performance between the public and private sectors, 

providing information unique to each agency and program on how service delivery 

impacts customer satisfaction.

In fiscal year 2021, the RRB paid $751 million in disability benefits, with $515 

million attributable to occupational disability and $236 million to total disability. A total 

of 18,600 individuals received disability annuities, with 10,800 getting occupational 

disability benefits and 7,800 receiving total disability benefits.

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