Military.com | By Brandon Wile
Published February 19, 2026 at 3:03am ET

A new Department of Veterans Affairs rule that took effect Feb. 17 changes how the agency evaluates disability ratings for millions of veterans, tying compensation to how well a veteran functions while on medication rather than to the severity of the underlying condition.

Public comments are being accepted through April 20 at regulations.gov under docket RIN 2900-AS49. The department had received more than 1,900 comments by publication time.

The interim final rule, titled "Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication," amends the core regulation governing how the VA assesses functional impairment. It adds two sentences directing medical examiners not to "estimate or discount improvements to the disability due to the effects of medication or treatment" and stating that if medication lowers the level of disability, "the rating will be based on that lowered disability level."