Trump caves on cutting military veterans' treatment after outcry

Stars and Stripes reports Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins announced the VA was ending a controversial policy that lowered a veteran’s disability rating and subsequent monthly compensation.The administration of President Donald Trump began enforcing the rule after a series of policy decisions that riled veterans in Trump's first year.

The rule had gone into effect Tuesday without prior notice, reports the Pentagon-funded news services, and was quickly condemned by major veterans groups.

“DAV is extremely disappointed and alarmed by VA’s decision to issue an interim final rule today that could potentially reduce disability compensation for millions of disabled veterans,” said Coleman Nee, national commander of Disabled American Veterans.

Carol Whitmore, national commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars, described the rule change as having “unforeseen and harmful downstream effects for veterans,” which demands “serious public scrutiny and possible legislative clarification from Capitol Hill.”

Specifically, the rule required VA medical and associate examiners to calculate the improvements that veterans derive from taking medication when determining ratings, despite recent court rulings ordering the VA to instead base a veteran’s disability level on the severity of the condition they are suffering from.

After a mere 48 hours of public rancor, Collins announced on X that: “Effective immediately, VA is halting enforcement of the interim final rule, Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication.”

Collins added in his social media post that the VA “does not agree with the way this rule has been characterized,” but assured that the department “always takes Veterans’ concerns seriously.”

The DAV issued a statement Thursday afternoon applauding the decision, according to Stars and Stripes.

“We appreciate the secretary listening to and acting on the concerns of those who have served and sacrificed for this nation,” said Nee. “No veteran should ever have to worry that taking medications they need due to their illnesses and injuries could result in the reduction of their benefits.”

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