Thomas Burns, PA

02/20/2026

BA to halt medication rule

02/20/2026

These two sentences are what all the hullabaloo is about.

“To ensure that disability evaluations are based on the actual level of functional impairment under the ordinary conditions of daily life, the medical examiner will not estimate or discount improvements to the disability due to the effects of medication or treatment, whether or not medication or treatment is included within specific rating criteria. If medication or treatment lowers the level of disability, the rating will be based on that lowered disability level.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends 38 CFR 4.10 within the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD). This amendment clarifies VA's longstanding interpretation of Sec. 4.10 and, in doing so, amends the text to correct judicial interpretations that VA has concluded misconstrue the...

02/19/2026

https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-undoes-decades-old-wrong-and-protects-veterans-second-amendment-rights/

Effective immediately, VA will not report Veterans to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System as “prohibited persons” only because they need help from a fiduciary in managing their VA benefits.

02/10/2026

The VA is going after fraudsters

02/05/2026

Great news for back pay and statute of limitations.

01/26/2026

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-secures-over-68-million-debt-relief-disabled-veterans-harmed-fraudulent

01/22/2026

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the President signed into law:
H.R. 224, the “Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act,” which amends section 102(a)(20) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to require the exclusion of service-connected disability compensation when determining whether a person is a person of low and moderate income, a person of low income, or a person of moderate income, and for other purposes;
H.R. 1823, the “VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act,” which requires a report on certain funding shortfalls in the Department of Veterans Affairs; and H.R. 4446, the “Focused Assistance and Skills Training for Veterans’ Employment and Transition Success Act” or the “FAST VETS Act,” which specifies the conditions under which a veteran’s vocational rehabilitation plan must be redeveloped.
H.R. 4446, the “Focused Assistance and Skills Training for Veterans’ Employment and Transition Success Act” or the “FAST VETS Act,” which specifies the conditions under which a veteran’s vocational rehabilitation plan must be redeveloped.

01/19/2026

https://thewarhorse.org/veterans-affairs-claim-benefit-company-letters/

Companies that help veterans file their disability benefits received warning letters from Veterans Affairs that claimed they may be acting illegally.

01/16/2026

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2392?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22S.+2392+%E2%80%94+Veterans%E2%80%99+Compensation+Cost-of-Living+Adjustment+Act%22%7D&r=1&s=3

01/15/2026

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/former-va-employee-charged-running-criminal-scheme-obtain-va-benefits-others

SAN DIEGO –Daniel Rikkels of Chula Vista was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges that he helped veterans fraudulently obtain disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) while he was a department employee responsible for reviewing and approving disability claims. ...

01/14/2026

Excellent news for homeless or home bound Veterans

04/17/2025

https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/audit/hiring-claims-processors-generally-met-requirements-and-attrition-rate-remained

The expansion of benefits under the PACT Act of 2022 necessitated VBA increasing capacity to process the influx of claims.