Val Verde County Veterans Service Office

Amid outcry, VA abruptly stops enforcing new disability rating rule

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday abruptly announced that it would stop enforcing a new rule requiring disability ratings to be calculated by how well veterans function on medication and not solely on the underlying condition or injury itself. “Effective immediately, VA is halting enforcement of the interim final rule, ‘Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication,’” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a brief statement posted on social media on Thursday. “VA issued the rule to clarify existing policy and protect veterans’ benefits in the wake of an ongoing court action. But many interpreted the rule as something that could result in adverse consequences,” Collins said.

The rule, which had gone into effect Tuesday without prior notice, was quickly condemned by major veterans groups as effectively lowering a veteran’s disability rating and subsequent monthly compensation. “DAV is extremely disappointed and alarmed by VA’s decision to issue an interim final rule today that could potentially reduce disability compensation for millions of disabled veterans,” said Coleman Nee, national commander of Disabled American Veterans. “As a former Army nurse, it seems this rule change could have unforeseen and harmful downstream effects for veterans, which is why it demands serious public scrutiny and possible legislative clarification from Capitol Hill,” said Carol Whitmore, national commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars. The rule required examiners for the VA to calculate the improvements veterans derive from taking medication when determining ratings, while recent court rulings had directed the VA to base a veteran’s disability level on the severity of the condition. At issue was an amendment to the Code of Federal Regulations — called an interim final rule — that directs how VA examiners assess a veteran’s impairments on daily life skills and employment. A public comment period on the rule opened Tuesday on regulations.gov and will run through April 20. More than 10,000 people had commented by midday Thursday.

“While VA does not agree with the way this rule has been characterized, the department always takes veterans’ concerns seriously,” Collins said in his announcement. Collins also indicated that the VA would not pursue enforcing the rule again. “To alleviate these concerns, VA will continue to collect public comments regarding the rule, but it will not be enforced at any time in the future,” Collins said. “Under my leadership, VA is ensuring that everyone applying for benefits receives everything they have earned as quickly and conveniently as possible,” Collins said.

The DAV issued a statement Thursday afternoon that applauded the decision. “We appreciate the secretary listening to and acting on the concerns of those who have served and sacrificed for this nation,” Nee said. “No veteran should ever have to worry that taking medications they need due to their illnesses and injuries could result in the reduction of their benefits.”

Amid outcry, VA abruptly stops enforcing new disability rating rule The rule, which had gone into effect without prior notice, was quickly condemned by veterans groups as effectively lowering a veteran’s disability rating.

Proudly serving the veterans of Val Verde County since 1995. We provide free transportation to the VA hospitals in San Antonio and Kerrville. We also provide local transportation in Del Rio for medical appointments and medication refills.

We provide transportation to Eagle Pass and Uvalde for VA related medical and Social Security appointments. Come by 508 E. 11th St. or give us a call at 830-774-7548 to book your transportation appointment.

Our next Veterans workshop will be Friday, March 6 at 9 AM at the Val Verde County library. The staff of the Val Verde County appraisal District will be conducting a presentation to discuss veteran property tax exemptions.

We are grateful to Chief Appraiser Jaqueline Casanova for participating in this workshop. There are new laws affecting how these exemptions are applied to your property and how these discounts are maintained.

This is your opportunity to participate in a Q&A and get some of your property tax exemption questions answered by the appraisal district. 

Please like and share this post so that more veterans and their families attend. We will also be covering other important topics during this monthly workshop .