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VA Formally Rescinds Medication-Based Disability Ratings Rule

The reversal follows intense pushback from veterans groups, with the Ingram v. Collins appeal still pending.

Overview

  • An official Federal Register notice makes the rescission effective immediately, restoring the prior standard for disability ratings.
  • The Feb. 17 interim final rule would have based ratings on how well medication controlled symptoms, though enforcement was paused within 48 hours.
  • Veterans service organizations and the public submitted nearly 19,000–20,000 critical comments, and more than 20 lawmakers pressed for revocation.
  • VA said it issued the rule to address legal uncertainty from Ingram v. Collins, but noted the court fight continues as the department pursues its appeal.
  • Senior VA officials indicated they do not plan to revisit the approach, while advocates argued veterans should not risk losing benefits for taking prescribed treatment.