Understanding the New 2024 VA Rating Criteria for IBS
Posted by Gregory M. Rada | August 07, 2024 | Firm News
As of May 19, 2024, the VA updated its rating criteria for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects many veterans. This post will help you understand what IBS is, the new rating criteria, and how it might affect your VA disability benefits.
Watch our YouTube video on these recent changes, or read on below to find out the details.
What is IBS?
IBS is a chronic digestive disorder affecting the large intestine. IBS is characterized by a group of symptoms that often occur together, such as abdominal discomfort, changes in bowel habit (diarrhea, constipation), bloating and gas, and mucus in your stool. For veterans, IBS can be a service-connected condition, especially if it began or was aggravated during military service.
Overview of the New IBS Rating Criteria
The new rating criteria for IBS primarily focuses on (1) whether you have abdominal pain related to passing stool, and (2) whether you also have two of the following symptoms: change in stool frequency, change in stool form, straining and/or urgency, mucorrhea (mucus), abdominal bloating, or subjective dissension.
Here are all the new ratings and criteria:
30% Rating for IBS:
Abdominal pain related to defecation at least one day per week during the previous three months; and two or more of the following: (1) change in stool frequency, (2) change in stool form, (3) altered stool passage (straining and/or urgency), (4) mucorrhea, (5) abdominal bloating, or (6) subjective distension.
20% Rating for IBS:
Abdominal pain related to defecation for at least three days per month during the previous three months; and two or more of the following: (1) change in stool frequency, (2) change in stool form, (3) altered stool passage (straining and/or urgency), (4) mucorrhea, (5) abdominal bloating, or (6) subjective distension.
10% Rating for IBS:
Abdominal pain related to defecation at least once during the previous three months; and two or more of the following: (1) change in stool frequency, (2) change in stool form, (3) altered stool passage (straining and/or urgency), (4) mucorrhea, (5) abdominal bloating, or (6) subjective distension.
How the New Criteria Affect Your Claim
If you already have a rating for IBS, you are not impacted by the rating criteria changes and VA cannot take away your old rating. You can, however, request an increased rating under the new criteria if that would result in a more favorable rating.
If you had a claim or appeal in progress during the date of the rating change, you are entitled to the more favorable rating criteria, except that if the new rating criteria is more favorable, you can only be rated under that criteria from May 19, 2024, forward. But if the old criteria is more favorable, you can be rated at that for the entire claim period and going forward.
Conclusion
The new rating criteria for IBS appears to be favorable for veterans. It contains a better description of what symptoms are needed to get certain ratings, and it also includes a new 20% rating for those veterans who couldn’t meet the old criteria for a 30% rating and were stuck at 10%.
If you have questions about the new IBS rating criteria, don’t hesitate to contact our office. We’re here to help you navigate the VA disability claims process and secure the benefits you’ve earned.
