Ratings

Mental health rating changes: what is proposed

The five-domain PTSD and mental disorder rating rule is a proposal, not the law. Here is what VA said it would do to current ratings.

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PROPOSED, NOT FINAL. The five-domain rating system below is a proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on 15 February 2022 (Docket VA-2022-VBA-0010, RIN 2900-AQ82). Comments closed 18 April 2022. A proposal is not the law. The eCFR page for 38 CFR 4.130 still shows the current rules, last amended 4 August 2014, and my search of the Federal Register found no final rule. Your rating today is decided under the current 4.130. Check the Federal Register notice and the current 38 CFR 4.130 before you rely on this page.

The short answer to "will this lower my 70 percent?"

VA's own news release on the proposal says: "No change to a Veteran's current rating would occur due to these proposed changes," and that no reductions shall be made unless an improvement in the Veteran's disability is shown. Source: VA news release, 15 Feb 2022. That statement is about the proposal. The proposal has not become final.

VA also wrote in the proposal that the new approach "should generally lead to more generous compensation" than the current formula. That is VA's expectation, not a promise for your case.

How you are rated today (current 38 CFR 4.130)

The current General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar and others) has six levels: 0, 10, 30, 50, 70 and 100 percent. It is built on symptoms, such as reduced reliability and productivity at 50 percent, deficiencies in most areas at 70 percent, and "total occupational and social impairment" at 100 percent. Source: 38 CFR 4.130 (eCFR).

What the 2022 proposal would change

Instead of a list of symptoms, VA would score how much your condition limits you in five areas of daily life:

  1. Cognition (memory, concentration, decisions)
  2. Interpersonal interactions and relationships
  3. Task completion and life activities (work, school, home)
  4. Navigating environments (leaving home, using transportation)
  5. Self-care

Each area is scored 0 to 4 by how bad it is and how often (less than 25 percent of the time, or 25 percent or more). The proposed table:

RatingWhat it takes (proposed)
100%Level 4 in one area, or Level 3 in two or more areas
70%Level 3 in one area, or Level 2 in two or more areas
50%Level 2 in one area
30%Level 1 in two or more areas
10%The minimum for a diagnosed disorder (the 0 percent rating would go away)

Eating disorders would be folded into the same formula. Source: Federal Register, proposed rule.

What the 2022 proposal would change

What the 2022 proposal would change100%Level 4 in one area, or Level 3 in two or more areas70%Level 3 in one area, or Level 2 in two or more areas50%Level 2 in one area30%Level 1 in two or more areas10%minimum for a diagnosed disorder
Proposed only: five areas of daily life, with levels 0 to 4 and proposed ratings 10, 30, 50, 70 or 100 percent.Federal Register, Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Mental Disorders (proposed rule, 15 Feb 2022) ยท Page reviewed September 2026.

What protects a rating you already have

Two things, both from official sources:

What to do now

  1. Keep your rating decision letter and your C&P exam report. Nothing in the proposal makes you file anything today.
  2. If your condition is worse, you can ask for an increase under the current rules. Ask an accredited representative (free link below).
  3. Watch the Federal Register notice page for a final rule. If VA finalizes it, VA will publish the effective date and how it treats existing ratings there.

Where to call and where to go

Phone

Official pages

Free accredited help

Sources