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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to revise the portion of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (Rating Schedule) that addresses the endocrine system. The intended effect of this change is to update medical terminology, add medical conditions not currently in the Rating Schedule, revise the criteria to reflect medical advances since the last revision in 1996, and clarify the criteria.

Statement of Need:

VA is updating its Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD, or Rating Schedule) to better reflect modern medicine. The VASRD, which is part 4 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, governs how claims processors evaluate the severity of disabilities. While VA has routinely updated parts of the VASRD, this proposal is the first time VA is working to update the entire VASRD since 1945. In 2009, a formal project management plan was created to outline how to update the VASRD. A working group of specialized physicians (VA and non-VA), stakeholders, and claims processors reviews each of the 15 body systems and provides analysis to assist VA in developing updates. The public has 60 days to provide VA with comments. VA will introduce the proposed updates to the VASRD incrementally and is committed to an update of the entire VASRD.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

38 U.S.C. 1155

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