In 2025, veterans could see various changes to the VA’s disability benefits system that may affect how veterans can obtain benefits and what financial support or services they receive.
Revisions to Disability Rating Criteria
In 2022, the VA proposed changes to various disability rating criteria. Because the official disability rating criteria are part of the Code of Federal Regulations, it can take years for proposed changes to become adopted into the CFR. As a result, we could see potential revisions to the rating criteria for various health conditions in 2025, such as:
- Eliminating the standalone 10 percent disability rating for tinnitus: Veterans with service-connected tinnitus receive a 10 percent disability rating. However, in most cases, the VA might eliminate that standalone rating, evaluating most veterans under the hearing loss criteria instead. The 10 percent disability rating for tinnitus would only apply to veterans with a zero percent rating for hearing loss.
- Decrease in ratings for sleep apnea with need for CPAP machine: Veterans with service-connected sleep apnea who require a CPAP machine or similar device currently receive a 50 percent disability rating. Proposals have suggested reducing that rating to 10 percent, which may result in veterans with sleep apnea treated with CPAP machines receiving fewer benefits and having reduced access to healthcare services at the VA.
- Overhaul of ratings for mental health conditions. The VA currently rates mental health conditions by focusing on how symptoms affect occupational and social function. Proposals have sought to add factors to the assessment of mental health conditions, rating veterans’ disability based on cognition, interpersonal interaction, task completion, navigating environments, and self-care.
Expansion of Presumptive Conditions
The PACT Act expanded the list of presumptive conditions for veterans who experienced toxic exposure during military service. The Act, which passed in 2022, also allowed the VA to add to its list of presumptive conditions – conditions where VA regulations presume a service connection – as medical research establishes links between toxic exposures common during military service and medical conditions. As a result, 2025 may see the VA add more conditions to the list of presumptive conditions arising from toxic exposures, such as chronic respiratory conditions, cancers, and neurological disorders.
Veterans whose conditions get added to the list of presumptive conditions may face a more straightforward process of obtaining disability benefits if they can prove they experienced toxic exposure during their military service, such as proximity to burn pits or radioactive sources.
Modifications to the Appeals Process
The VA continues to pursue modifications to the appeals process to reduce wait times and improve the efficiency and accuracy of decision-making. Recently, VA officials have suggested implementing technology-driven changes to the claims review and appeals process. Changes to the appeals process in 2025 could affect how veterans submit appeals or supplemental evidence for their claim. However, some critics suggest that reliance on technology for decision-making in the appeals process could lead to erroneous outcomes that delay benefits for qualified veterans.
Budgetary and Staffing Changes
The VA’s 2025 budget includes $369 billion in expenditures, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year. Although the budget proposes to increase disability payments, including through a toxic exposure fund that provides benefits to veterans diagnosed with medical conditions caused by toxic exposure to burn pits, radioactive sources, or other environmental hazards, the spending plan also seeks to make significant job cuts at the VA. VA and Trump Administration officials have proposed cutting upwards of 80,000 jobs over the next few years to reach 2019 staffing levels at the agency.
Contact a VA Disability Lawyer Today
If you receive or plan to apply for VA disability benefits, understanding how proposed changes to the agency in 2025 may affect your claim. Contact Veteran’s Legal Center today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a VA disability attorney to discuss your rights and options.