Transcription
Some VA ratings are too high. Well, that's the headline floating around right now. And if you've seen it, your blood pressure is probably spiked. A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report just dropped. And people are saying the VA wants to cut your benefits, that they're coming for your rating, that the money you've been receiving is about to disappear. I've seen the panic in comment sections. I've gotten the DMs. Veterans are terrified, as they probably are going to be.
So, let me tell you what's actually happening because I read the report and the actual report, not the clickbait version. And while there are things you should know, this isn't what some people are making it out to be. So, let me break it down. So, first thing is just take a deep breath in and out. Nobody is cutting your check tomorrow. There is no proposal on the table right now to reduce existing ratings. If you're currently rated, your compensation is not disappearing next month.
What is happening is a conversation, a bureaucratic, long drawn-out government report-style conversation about whether the VA's rating system is still accurate in 2026. And honestly, that's a fair question to ask, even if the answer makes us as veterans uncomfortable. Because here's the stat that matters. The current VA schedule for rating disabilities, you know, the system that determines what percent you get, is based on earnings loss assumptions from 1945. 1945, that's 80 years ago, before the internet existed, before modern medicine, before most of the jobs that exist today even existed. The GAO is basically asking, "Hey, does this 80-year-old system still make sense today?" And that's not an unreasonable question, even if we don't like where the question might lead.
Now, I'm Dr. Marshall Bar, an actual doctor, an Army Ranger, a special operations combat medic, and a former C&P examiner. I am not here to scare you. I am not here to get clicks by making you panic. I'm here to tell you what this report actually says, what it means for you, and what, if anything, you should do about it. So, let's dive into it.
So, what is this report? It's GAO-26-108844. It's a review of the VA schedule for rating disabilities, you know, the VASRD, which is the rulebook that determines how conditions are rated. So, here's what the GAO found.
So, finding number one is that the system is outdated. The current rating schedule is based on how disabilities affected earning capacity in 1945. The jobs, the economy, the medical treatments, all of it was different then. A condition that might have prevented you from working in 1945 might be completely manageable today with modern medicine. And vice versa. Some conditions that weren't understood back then are now recognized as severely disabling. The GAO is just pointing out that the system hasn't kept up with reality.
The second finding they had was some ratings may be too high. And they also found that some might be too low. So this is the part that's getting twisted into clickbait. The GAO isn't saying veterans are getting too much money. They're saying the system may be miscalibrated in both directions. Some conditions might be rated higher than their actual impact on modern earning capacity, while other conditions might be rated too low than they should be. The report is calling for better alignment, not across-the-board cuts.
The third finding they had was the VA wants to modernize. So, the VA has stated goals for updating the rating schedule, like reflect modern medicine and treatments, to use current disability science, to improve consistency in valuations, to better align ratings with actual earnings loss. None of this is inherently bad. In fact, some of it could help veterans who are currently underrated. But, and this is important, it depends entirely on how it's implemented and who is driving the decisions.
Okay, so if this is about modernization, why are people worried? Well, because one word: Congress. Here's the concern that is legitimate. If Congress is looking for ways to pay for other legislation, like tax cuts, new programs, whatever it may be, they might look at this GAO report and say, "Hey, we can use VA modernization as a funding offset. We'll save money by adjusting disability ratings." Well, that's the fear that budget hawks will use modernization as a cover for cuts. And honestly, that fear is not crazy. It's not unfounded. We have seen it before with other programs. When the government needs money, they get creative about where they find it. So, while the GAO report itself isn't calling for cuts, it could be used or weaponized by people who want to cut benefits to justify their position. That's the real risk. Not the report itself, but how it might be weaponized politically.
But here's what's also true. There is massive political pressure to not cut veterans' benefits. Veterans are one of the most protected classes in American politics. Cutting VA benefits is electoral suicide for most politicians. The backlash we saw over sleep apnea and tinnitus changes, that's just a preview of what could happen if anyone tried to implement widespread rating cuts. So, while we should remain vigilant, we shouldn't assume the worst is inevitable.
Now, let's talk about what matters most to you, your current rating. So, if you're already service-connected and receiving compensation, here's what you need to know. Grandfathering is standard practice. So, when the VA changes rating criteria, veterans with existing ratings are typically grandfathered in. The new criteria apply to new claims only, not to people already in the system. This is how it's worked historically. When criteria is changed, your existing rating doesn't automatically get re-evaluated under the new rules. Your existing protections still apply.
Remember the rules we've talked about before. You know, the five-year rule. So, if you've held your rating for five or more years, the VA needs to show sustained improvement to reduce it. That's still a high bar. The 20-year rule. So, if you've held your rating for 20 or more years, it's essentially permanent. Only fraud can touch it. And the 55-year rule. So, if you're 55 or older, routine re-examinations generally stop. These protections don't just disappear because of a GAO report. They're written into law.
And the most likely outcome, well, if modernization happens, it probably won't be across-the-board increases. Sorry. And it won't be across-the-board decreases despite the fear. It'll probably be redistribution. Some conditions might go up, others might go down. The overall system gets re-calibrated. If you're currently rated for a condition that might be affected, you'd likely keep your current rating while new claims and claimants get evaluated under the new criteria. That's how it usually works. Not always, but usually.
So, what should you do with this information? Well, step one is don't panic. Seriously, don't panic. There's no proposal on the table right now. Nobody is cutting your check. The GAO report just wrote a report. That is it. Reports get written all the time. Most of them sit on shelves just collecting dust.
And the second thing you should do is stay informed. This is something that you should keep watching. If Congress starts talking about using VA modernization as a funding offset, that's when we pay attention. So, subscribe to channels like this one because you want to follow veteran advocacy groups and pay attention to what's happening in Congress.
The third thing you need to do is file your claims now. If you've been putting off filing for conditions you should be claiming, you need to file now. Get in under the current rules. Lock in your effective date. If criteria change in the future, you want to already be in the system.
And the fourth thing you want to do is document everything, whether or not the rule change. Your documentation matters. Keep your treatment current. Keep your symptoms on record. The stronger your evidence, the better protected you are.
The fifth thing you need to do is engage in the process. So, when the VA proposes changes to rating criteria, there's a public comment period. Your voice matters. Veteran advocacy organizations matter. The pushback on sleep apnea and tinnitus changes shows that public pressure works. Don't just complain on social media. Submit official comments. Contact your representatives. Make noise through the proper channels.
So, here's my honest take on all of it. The GAO report is doing what GAO reports do, pointing out that a government system is old and might need updating. That is their job. Is the VA rating system from 1945 perfectly calibrated for 2026? Probably not. Some conditions probably are overrated. Some are probably underrated. The system could probably be better, but better doesn't automatically mean worse for veterans. The real question is who controls the modernization process and what are their motivations? If it's driven by medical science and genuine accuracy, which I hope it would be, some veterans might actually benefit. But if it's driven by budget cuts disguised as modernization, that's when we're going to have to fight. But right now, we're in the conversation phase. Nothing has been decided. Nothing has been implemented. You just need to stay informed, stay engaged, but don't let clickbaity headlines steal your sleep.
Now, look, I get why people are scared. When you depend on your VA compensation, any hint of change feels like a threat, but running around screaming, "The sky is falling," doesn't help anyone. It just creates panic. What helps is understanding what's actually happening. Knowing your rights, taking action that matters. If you want to strengthen your position, regardless of what happens with rating criteria, that's what I do and we do every day at Extera Health. We offer nexus letters for $500, just written by a licensed medical provider who understands the VA system with strong medical opinions that hold up under any criteria, old or new. We also offer claims roadmap services where we can review your situation and help you file now under current rules before anything changes. We also offer C&P exam preps where we can prepare you to document your conditions thoroughly so your rating is based on accurate evidence. If you're interested in any of these services, the links are in the description below.
Now, I am Dr. Marshall Bar, an actual doctor, an Army Ranger, a former C&P examiner. Don't let fear-mongering headlines make your decisions for you. Get informed, get prepared, and if something actually happens, we'll fight it together. So, subscribe if you want the real story, not the clickbait version. I'll see you in the next video.