Impacts of the 2010 VA PTSD Rule Change on Veterans’ Disability Compensation and Reported Cognitive Disability

Abstract

In July 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) simplified the process of obtaining veterans' disability compensation (DC) for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who served in combat zones but not in combat roles. In this article, we use data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) Veterans Supplement to estimate the impacts of the change in the VA PTSD rule on DC benefit receipt and self-reported cognitive disability. We hypothesize that the easing of eligibility rules led to an increase in DC receipt among veterans who served in combat zones but not in combat roles. It may also have led to reduced stigma among veterans with regard to reporting cognitive disability. Our results are consistent with these hypotheses. Self-reported rates of VA disability and DC receipt increased significantly among combat zone veterans. Self-reported VA disability rating and experience of cognitive disability also increased, but these increases were not statistically significant. During the same period, the rate of self-reported disability other than cognitive disability remained the same.

Impacts of the 2010 VA PTSD Rule Change on Participation in SSA Disability Programs

“…Table 1 shows benefit receipt statistics for the two matched groups. Contreary et al (2017) showed that receipt of DC increased after the 2010 rule change among veterans who had served in combat zones compared with those who had served in noncombat zones. To confirm that receipt of DC increased in our sample, we conducted a pre-post analysis.…”

“…Cognitive disability. Following the approach used in Contreary et al (2017), we identified cognitive difficulty using a question from the U.S. Census Bureau’s six-question sequence on disability, which has been included in the CPS-ASEC since 2009: “Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does [the subject] have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?” We used this question as an imperfect proxy for PTSD—the term “cognitive difficulty” applies to a larger set of functional limitations than those often associated with PTSD.…”

“…The new regulation states that VA will grant DC to veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD if they can prove they served in a combat zone and in a job consistent with PTSDcausing events. Contreary et al (2017) estimated the impacts of the PTSD rule change on DC benefit receipt and self-reported cognitive disability among all veterans who served in combat zones, whether or not they had a combat role. The authors found that self-reported rates of DC receipt for combat zone veterans rose significantly after this policy change.…”

“…Contreary et al (2017) estimated the impacts of the PTSD rule change on DC benefit receipt and self-reported cognitive disability among all veterans who served in combat zones, whether or not they had a combat role. The authors found that self-reported rates of DC receipt for combat zone veterans rose significantly after this policy change.…”

Federal and State Expenditures for Working-Age People With Disabilities in Fiscal Year 2014

“…Two changes in the later period could be considered a direct outgrowth of the recession: expansions in SNAP and Section 8 housing vouchers. A 2010 change in the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) eligibility for veterans' disability compensation due to posttraumatic stress disorder contributed to the growth in VA expenditures for disabled veterans and to the percentage of veterans reporting a disability (Contreary, Tennant, & Ben-Shalom, 2017). In addition, the expansion of Medicaid coverage in a majority of states to all working-age adults with household incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level, prompted by provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), increased Medicaid enrollment and expenditures for working-age people with disabilities.…”