The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can review, reduce, or in rare cases stop disability payments for certain veterans. These situations are uncommon and follow strict rules, but receiving a re-evaluation letter or a proposed reduction can be stressful and confusing.

This Q&A article explains the reasons disability payments may change, how protected ratings work, what the VA must do before a reduction, and how to respond if your payments are to be cut.

It also clarifies common misconceptions — especially around permanent ratings, the five-, 10-, and 20-year protection rules, and conditions like PTSD or sleep apnea.

When and Why VA Disability Payments May Change

How can the VA reduce or stop disability payments?

A: The VA can reduce or discontinue disability payments, but only under specific circumstances and after following a required process. A reduction generally depends on one of the following:

• Evidence of sustained improvement in your service-connected condition, shown through a thorough, complete re-examination and review of your medical history.

• Failure to attend a required VA examination when the exam is necessary to confirm continued entitlement.

• Long-term employment when benefits were awarded based on unemployability.

• Incarceration for a felony, which triggers a compensation reduction after 60 days; pension recipients lose payments entirely after 60 days.

The VA can sever service connection — effectively stopping disability payments — only in rare cases, such as fraud or evidence that a veteran did not have qualifying service or had a disqualifying discharge.

Can the VA reduce my rating simply because of temporary improvement?

A: No. Temporary or brief improvement isn’t enough. For most conditions, the VA must show sustained, material improvement under the ordinary conditions of life and work.

A single examination rarely satisfies this requirement unless the improvement is clearly stable.

What happens if I miss a VA re-examination?

A: If the VA schedules a re-examination to confirm continued eligibility and you miss the appointment, your payments can be reduced or stopped. You may reschedule within a reasonable time if you had good cause for missing it.

Understanding Protected VA Ratings

What are the VA’s protection rules for long-held disability ratings?

A: Several rules protect disability ratings as they age:

• 5-year rule (stabilized ratings): If your disability rating has been in place for five years or more, the VA cannot reduce it based on a temporary or short-term improvement. They must show sustained improvement supported by a complete review.

• 10-year rule (protection from severance): After 10 years, the VA generally cannot sever service connection unless there was fraud or clear evidence that you did not have qualifying service or discharge status. The rating level can still change, but service connection itself is protected.

• 20-year rule (protection from reduction): After 20 continuous years at the same rating, the VA cannot reduce that rating below its current level unless the original rating was based on fraud.

These protections make reductions uncommon for long-established ratings.

Are 100% disability ratings permanent?

A: Not automatically. A 100% rating can still be reviewed unless it is formally designated permanent and total, or protected under the 20-year rule. Any reduction must be supported by clear evidence of sustained improvement.

Does TDIU (unemployability) receive the same protection?

A: No. TDIU, or total disability based on individual unemployability, is not automatically permanent.

If you maintain substantially gainful employment for 12 months or more, or if your service-connected conditions improve enough to allow regular employment, the VA may propose a reduction. S

Standard protection rules still apply but do not make TDIU immune to review.

What the VA Must Do Before Reducing a Disability Rating

What steps must the VA follow before lowering or removing my disability rating?

A: Before reducing a rating, the VA must:

• Send written notice explaining the proposed reduction and the evidence supporting it.

• Inform you of your right to request a hearing.

• Schedule a re-examination, if needed, to determine whether the condition has materially improved.

• Review your entire medical history, not just a single exam.

• Show sustained improvement that affects daily functioning and ability to work.

If the VA cannot meet these requirements, it cannot legally reduce your rating.

Can the VA reduce a rating if I begin working again?

A: Yes, but only for veterans whose benefits depend on unemployability (TDIU). If you maintain substantially gainful employment for 12 months, the VA may propose reducing or removing TDIU. Standard schedular ratings are not affected simply because you work.

When the VA Cannot Reduce or Stop Disability Payments

When is my VA disability rating strongly protected?

A: Your disability payments are difficult — and sometimes nearly impossible — to reduce when:

• Your rating has been stable for five years with no evidence of sustained improvement.

• You have been service-connected for at least 10 years, which protects you from losing service connection except for fraud or certain discharge irregularities.

• You have held the same rating for 20 years, which protects you from reductions below that level, unless fraud was involved.

• Your condition is marked permanent and total, indicating no expected improvement.

These protections do not eliminate every possibility of change, but they make reductions extremely uncommon.

Do VA disability payments stop when a veteran dies?

A: Yes. Disability compensation ends at the time of the veteran’s death. Because the VA may not know immediately, the family should notify the VA as soon as possible to prevent overpayments and to explore survivor benefits such as dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC).

Responding to a Proposed Reduction or Stopped Payment

What should I do if my VA disability payment is reduced or stopped?

A: If the VA reduces your rating, you will receive a letter explaining the decision, the new rating level, and the evidence used. To challenge the decision, you can file a notice of disagreement within one year. This initiates a formal appeal.

How long does the VA appeals process take today?

A: Timelines vary significantly:

• Higher-level review: often four to five months.

• Supplemental claim: typically four to eight months.

• Board of Veterans’ Appeals: ranges widely but often one to three years, depending on the docket type.

What evidence helps in a reduction appeal?

A: Strong evidence may include:

• An independent medical evaluation from a private physician.

• Statements from family, co-workers, or supervisors.

• Updated treatment records.

• Symptom diaries or functional-impact statements.

Organizing these documents in Trustworthy — which will keep them secure, private, and accessible — makes it easier to gather what you need during an appeal.

Will I receive back pay if my rating is restored on appeal?

A: Yes. If your prior rating is reinstated, you will receive retroactive compensation for the period during which benefits were improperly reduced.

Frequently Asked Questions About Specific Conditions

Is PTSD considered a permanent VA disability?

A: Not by default. Ratings for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can be reviewed unless marked permanent and total or protected by the 20-year rule.

The VA may schedule a re-examination within two to five years if improvement is expected. The well-known six-month re-evaluation applies only to the automatic temporary rating assigned when a veteran is discharged because of a mental health condition.

Is sleep apnea considered a permanent VA disability?

A: Usually not. Sleep apnea ratings are often reviewed because symptoms may improve with weight loss, surgery, or effective CPAP treatment.

However, the VA can assign permanent and total status if medical evidence shows no realistic expectation of improvement.

Closing Thoughts

VA disability reductions are uncommon and follow strict rules, especially once a rating has been held for several years.

Understanding your protections — and knowing how to respond if the VA proposes a cut — can help you navigate the process with more clarity and confidence.

Keeping your medical records, VA correspondence, and independent evaluations in Trustworthy's digital vault ensures you have the documentation you need if you ever need to challenge a reduction or verify your eligibility.