VA halts enforcement of disability rating rule after backlash from veterans advocates

A new Department of Veterans Affairs rule that would tie disability ratings more closely to how well medication controls symptoms has been halted by the VA Secretary. The VA issued the interim final rule on Tuesday, saying it was intended to clarify longstanding policy and respond to recent court action that could have required the department to estimate how severe a condition might be without medication. The rule drew sharp criticism from advocates who say it risks minimizing invisible wounds and discouraging veterans from seeking treatment. Under the rule, disability evaluations would focus on a veteran’s actual level of impairment while using prescribed treatment, rather than speculating about untreated symptoms.