Executive Summary
Effective February 17, 2026, the Department of Veterans Affairs amended its interpretation of 38 C.F.R. § 4.10 to permit adjudicators to consider beneficial medication effects when assigning disability ratings.
Legal Background
Ingram v. Collins (2025) required VA adjudicators to disregard beneficial medication effects unless explicitly contemplated by the diagnostic code.
Policy Considerations
- Shift in orthopedic rating methodology
- Potential increase in secondary SUD claims
- Administrative appeal impacts
CBO-Style Fiscal Impact Modeling (10-Year Projection)
| Category | Projected Impact |
|---|---|
| Reduced Orthopedic Ratings | ($1.2B) Estimated Savings |
| Increased SUD Claims | $450M Estimated Cost |
| Administrative Appeals | $180M Processing Cost |
| Net Federal Impact | ($570M) |