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Updates
Weekly briefings on what changed
Where these briefings come from
A snapshot of recent VA news, rule changes, processing-time baselines, and updates we have made to the site.
Curated headlines from official VA sources.
VBA published quarterly processing-time averages for initial disability claims and review lanes. Veterans can compare regional office averages against the national median when planning for a decision.
VBA Performance Reports
VA expanded availability of gender-specific primary and specialty care at additional VAMCs. Women veterans enrolled in VA care can locate the nearest Women Veterans Program Manager through their facility directory.
VA Women's Health
VA expanded telehealth eligibility for Compensation & Pension exams to cover more conditions, including certain mental health and tinnitus claims. Availability varies by VAMC; veterans in rural areas may request a telehealth exam through their facility.
VA News
VA updated guidance on Community Care eligibility, including drive-time and wait-time access standards. Enrolled veterans who do not meet VA wait-time or drive-time thresholds may be eligible for community care referral.
VA Community Care
VA has continued to expand the list of conditions presumed to be service-connected under the PACT Act. Veterans with toxic-exposure-era service may be eligible to file or refile claims for newly added conditions.
VA.gov
Verified changes to 38 CFR, 38 USC, and VA-published rates.
2026 COLA: 2.8% increase to disability compensation
Before: 70% veteran alone: $1,759.19 monthly. 100% veteran alone: $3,831.30 monthly. (2025 rates, effective Dec 1, 2024.)
Now: 70% veteran alone: $1,808.45 monthly. 100% veteran alone: $3,938.58 monthly. (2026 rates, effective Dec 1, 2025.)
National baselines from VBA published averages.
Disability compensation — initial claim
Typically 108 to 205 days
~152d
Disability compensation — increase claim
Typically 100 to 200 days
~140d
Higher-Level Review (HLR)
Typically 90 to 180 days
~125d
Supplemental Claim
Typically 105 to 210 days
~145d
What we updated recently and why it matters.
M21-1 Update: Revised Procedures for PACT Act Presumptive Claims
VBA updated M21-1, Part IV, Subpart ii to clarify documentation requirements for burn pit exposure claims. The update streamlines the evidence standard for conditions added under the PACT Act.
March 2026 Regional Office Processing Times Released
Average claim processing time for initial disability claims was 128 days in March 2026. The fastest ROs were Salt Lake City (98 days) and Roanoke (105 days).
VA Expands Telehealth C&P Exam Availability
VA announced that telehealth Compensation & Pension examinations are now available for 12 additional conditions, including tinnitus and certain mental health conditions. Veterans in rural areas may request telehealth exams through their VAMC.
February 2026 VBA Workload Report
VBA completed 148,203 disability rating claims in February 2026, with a pending inventory of 512,847 claims. Supplemental claims accounted for 31% of completions.
BVA Precedential Decision on Sleep Apnea Secondary to PTSD
The Board issued a precedential decision recognizing the nexus between PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea, citing the 69% comorbidity rate in treatment-seeking veterans.
Live-checked 2026-04-29VA processing times
Filterable feed of every site update and curated VA-policy entry we have logged.
Recent updates to VA benefits policy, procedures, and processing. Reviewed every 2-3 weeks; last reviewed 2026-05-10.
VBA updated M21-1, Part IV, Subpart ii to clarify documentation requirements for burn pit exposure claims. The update streamlines the evidence standard for conditions added under the PACT Act.
AuthoritativeSource: VA.gov
Average claim processing time for initial disability claims was 128 days in March 2026. The fastest ROs were Salt Lake City (98 days) and Roanoke (105 days).
ScrapedSource: VA.gov
VA announced that telehealth Compensation & Pension examinations are now available for 12 additional conditions, including tinnitus and certain mental health conditions. Veterans in rural areas may request telehealth exams through their VAMC.
ScrapedSource: VA News
VBA completed 148,203 disability rating claims in February 2026, with a pending inventory of 512,847 claims. Supplemental claims accounted for 31% of completions.
ScrapedSource: VBA Reports
The Board issued a precedential decision recognizing the nexus between PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea, citing the 69% comorbidity rate in treatment-seeking veterans.
AuthoritativeSource: BVA
VBA issued guidance clarifying that lay statements from fellow service members carry probative weight for establishing in-service events, particularly for conditions where service treatment records are incomplete.
The GUARD VA Benefits Act, which would reinstate criminal penalties for unaccredited individuals charging fees for VA claim assistance, passed the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee with bipartisan support.
AuthoritativeSource: Congress.gov
A precedential BVA decision clarified the evidentiary standard for showing that a pre-existing condition was aggravated beyond its natural progression during military service, applying the clear-and-unmistakable evidence standard under 38 U.S.C. 1111.
AuthoritativeSource: BVA
The VA has published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to formally add hypertension as a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Public comment period closes April 20, 2026.
AuthoritativeSource: Federal Register
Average processing time for Higher-Level Reviews was 82 days in January 2026, a decrease from 89 days in December. Informal conferences were requested in 44% of HLR filings.
ScrapedSource: VA.gov
VA.gov released an updated version of the claims status tracker with improved milestone tracking and estimated completion dates. The tool now shows which phase of the eight-step process a claim is in.
ScrapedSource: VA.gov
VA published a proposed rule to add bladder cancer, ureter cancer, and a rare form of renal cancer to the list of conditions eligible for burn pit/airborne hazards concession under the PACT Act.
AuthoritativeSource: Federal Register
A bipartisan bill introduced in the House would increase the substantial gainful employment threshold for TDIU eligibility from the federal poverty level to 150% of the poverty level, if enacted.
AuthoritativeSource: Congress.gov
VBA completed 437,812 disability rating claims in Q1 FY2026 (Oct-Dec 2025), an 8% increase over the same period in FY2025. The grant rate for initial claims was 57.3%.
ScrapedSource: VBA Reports
VBA updated M21-1 guidance on initial PTSD examinations, clarifying that a single comprehensive exam may satisfy the requirement for both diagnosis confirmation and nexus opinion when conducted by a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.
A precedential Board decision found that GERD caused by long-term NSAID and SSRI use prescribed for service-connected PTSD may be granted as a secondary condition, establishing a medication-pathway nexus.
AuthoritativeSource: BVA
VA announced a hiring initiative to bring on 2,000 additional Veterans Service Representatives and Rating Veterans Service Representatives across all Regional Offices by Q3 FY2026.
ScrapedSource: VA News
Updated Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) rate tables reflecting the 2.8% COLA increase are now available. SMC-S (housebound) for a veteran with no dependents is now $4,352.72 per month.
AuthoritativeSource: VA.gov
The FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law, includes a provision requiring DOD to share deployment-linked environmental exposure data with VA for use in future presumptive determinations.
AuthoritativeSource: Congress.gov
The 2.8% COLA increase is now reflected in disability compensation payments. A veteran rated at 100% with no dependents now receives $3,938.58 per month.
AuthoritativeSource: VA.gov
Updates are compiled from official VA, Congressional, and Federal Register sources.