The Department of Veterans Affairs is in the middle of one of its biggest overhauls in decades, and if you are a veteran with a service-connected disability rating, the change directly affects you. The VA is modernizing its Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD), a system that has not seen a comprehensive update since 1945.
Sleep Apnea Ratings Are on the Table
Right now, veterans diagnosed with sleep apnea who use a CPAP machine receive a 50% disability rating. The VA’s proposed change would shift that model entirely.
Under the new framework, the VA wants to evaluate how much functional impairment remains after treatment, not just whether a device is prescribed. Here is what that could mean in practice:
- 0% rating for sleep apnea that is fully controlled with or without treatment
- 10% rating for cases where treatment only partially relieves symptoms.
- Higher ratings are reserved for veterans whose treatment is ineffective, cannot be used, or where serious health complications remain.
The bottom line: if your sleep apnea is well-managed by CPAP, your current 50% rating could look very different under the proposed rules.
Tinnitus May No Longer Stand Alone
Veterans currently receive up to a 10% separate rating for tinnitus. The VA’s proposal would eliminate that standalone diagnostic code entirely.
The VA argues that tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition, not a standalone disease. Under the proposed change, tinnitus would be folded into the rating for the underlying service-connected condition, such as hearing loss or traumatic brain injury. A narrow exception may allow a 10% rating when tinnitus accompanies non-compensable hearing impairment, but additional tinnitus ratings would be blocked when hearing loss is already compensable.
Mental Health Ratings Would Get a Modern Overhaul
The VA’s current formula for rating mental health conditions has been largely unchanged since the mid-1990s. The proposed revision aligns ratings with DSM-5 standards and evaluates impairment across multiple functional areas.
One notable change: the VA proposes eliminating the 0% non-compensable mental health rating. Under the new system, any diagnosed service-connected mental disorder would receive a minimum 10% evaluation, reflecting the position that a mental health diagnosis inherently produces some level of functional limitation.
What About Your Existing Rating?
This is the question most veterans are asking, and the answer comes with important nuance.
- A change in the rating schedule alone cannot trigger a reduction in your existing rating.
- Ratings held for five or more years carry additional stabilization protections.
- A service connection itself is generally protected after ten years.
- Veterans with a Permanent and Total (P&T) designation are the most shielded, as any reduction requires documented evidence of sustained, real-world improvement, not just a change in policy.
However, if you file a new claim, request an increase, or introduce new evidence, the VA may evaluate you under the updated criteria. Now is not the time to sit and wait.
The VA Has Paused, But This Is Not Over
Following pushback from veterans service organizations and members of Congress, the VA announced it would pause implementation of these proposed changes while it reviews public feedback. That is a win, but it is a temporary one. The rulemaking process is still moving forward, and these changes could become permanent policy.
Your rating is your earned compensation for your service and sacrifice. Do not navigate these changes alone. Book a free strategy call with one of our veteran coaches at Just4Veterans Enterprise today and let us help you protect and maximize the benefits you have rightfully earned.