Find changes to VA’s claims-processing manual by topic, section, date, or change type. Read the recorded summary, open VA’s change log, or follow a link to a detailed analysis.
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6 tracked changes
Updated to clarify that non-specified medical expenses are allowable expenses unless questionable, to clarify that non-recurring medical expenses do not need to be listed individually on a standard form, and to update the mileage reimbursement rates for medical purposes.
Updated to clarify when transportation may be paid with a burial allowance without a prescribed form and to note the incorporation of next of kin research requests for IVURCS in CRM/UD-O.
Updated to include guidance for requesting a password reset from RCPS and to clarify procedures for awarding benefits when MRP has yet to be calculated.
Updated Nehmer guidance.
Updated to give guidance on a substitution calculator.
Updated guidance and procedures on identifying the receipt and amount of separation pay and add new guidance on processing awards when an adjustment of withholding due to extreme financial hardship is in effect.
9 tracked changes
Updated instructions for completing VA Form 10-7131, Exchange of Beneficiary Information and Request for Administrative and Adjudicative Action.
Updated to add guidance on what evidence may be needed when a Veteran, in receipt of compensation, receives a reduction in evaluation and pension may be the greater benefit.
Updated POA codes for State organizations.
Updated guidance on ACE examinations.
Updated to add guidance on examinations and medical opinions involving deceased Veterans.
Updated to add guidance for evidence needed to complete a request to substitute and clarify bore the expenses.
Updated instructions for accessing award and payment information in VBMS.
Updated procedures for processing unidentifiable mail.
Updated ITF guidance.
12 tracked changes
Updated fire-related record claims processing guidance.
Updated guidance on use of the MST special issue indicator and soliciting or clarifying consent for automatic notifications to VHA in claims based on MST.
Updated to clarify that the full amount payable to the Veteran may not be the amount payable as the MOD when benefits are being garnished or withheld and the Veteran’s death occurred on or after December 1, 1962, but before October 1, 1982.
Updated guidance on justification for an override of the evaluation builder.
Updated guidance on justification for an override of mandatory VBMS tool outputs.
Updated to add letter language on legacy planning and grief counseling.
Updated grief counseling language.
Updated the PMC specific claim contentions and classifications.
Updated Korean herbicide exposure claims procedures.
Updated procedures for requesting adoption documentation and removing a child given up for adoption, and clarify the effective date when adding an adopted child, the meaning of a child being given up for adoption, exceptions to requesting additional evidence, and the information required when a stepchild no longer resides with the Veteran.
Updated to provide guidance that the ALTERNATE CONTENTION NAME field must be utilized to populate the cause(s) of death as listed on a Veteran’s death certificate, to support an SC death medical opinion for a survivor claim.
Updated to provide guidance that for SC death medical opinions, alternate contentions must be utilized to populate the cause(s) of death properly in the medical opinion.
15 tracked changes
Updated to clarify that the SSA INQUIRY functionality can only be accessed through VBMS and that all results must be uploaded to the eFolder.
Updated guidance for verifying a running award to a 100-year-old beneficiary.
Updated to clarify that the St. Paul RACC has jurisdiction for all MOHP claims, clarify the jurisdiction of pension and survivor claims for beneficiaries residing in a foreign country, and update the policies for the transfer of paper claims folders.
Updated to add guidance on when to authorize an award for a minor child who is eligible to receive benefits in their own right under 38 U.S.C. 5502.
Updated to remove content for relocation to XIII.i.3.I. Section H is being reserved for future use.
Updated to add new section for CHAMPVA guidance, directly relocated from old XIII.i.3.H.
Updated procedures for processing unidentifiable mail and remove outdated guidance concerning 800 series work items.
Updated to clarify that claims processors must complete the from/thru spaces on an EVR when the development period is anything other than a calendar year.
Updated to replace references of the SSA Inquiry command in Share with the SSA INQUIRY function in VBMS since the functionality is no longer available in Share.
Updated and clarified guidance on the disappearance of a Veteran.
Updated to add a new section with guidance on releasing proceeds.
Updated to lower the threshold for when corrective award action may be necessary based on SSA income matches being different than the verified rate of $1 or more.
Updated to add circumstances in which an award may be self-authorized and remove outdated paper claims folder guidance.
Updated to incorporate guidance on controlling for review examinations when benefits are not paid, previously located in VI.ii.4.A.
Updated to clarify resources for obtaining MRP amounts, clarify and remove obsolete information concerning requests from CRSC boards, and remove guidance on review examinations, due to relocation to IV.ii.1.B.
19 tracked changes
Updated guidance on complex medical opinions to add an exception for HLR returns.
Updated to reorganize and clarify the guidance on considering SC for insomnia.
Updated guidance on determining the RPC to contact and removed outdated guidance when processing notice of an error and the Veteran is eligible for CRDP.
Updated to clarify EP control and disposition for supplemental claims and higher level reviews associated with accrued benefits and substitution claims.
Updated incorrectly established claims procedures.
Updated the request for application procedures.
Updated guidance on severance of SC.
Updated to provide clearer instructions for processing CUEs.
Updated to clarify the jurisdiction of claims involving a special mission or circumstance.
Updated to clarify the jurisdiction of claims involving foreign residency.
Updated to clarify jurisdiction of Philippine claims based on type of service.
Updated to delete obsolete guidance regarding jurisdiction for payment of compensation and DIC as relevant guidance is now located in X.i.4.A.1.a.
Updated to remove the STR certification letter requirement for Veterans discharged during the transition from paper to electronic STRs.
Updated to remove the STR certification letter requirement for Veterans discharged during the transition from paper to electronic STRs.
Updated guidance on determining the need for examination or medical opinion in claims involving aggravation of an NSC disability by an SC disability.
Updated to incorporate the holding in Spicer v. McDonough and to revise and clarify guidance on aggravation of an NSC disability by an SC disability (Allen aggravation).
Updated language regarding secondary SC and aggravation of an NSC disability by an SC disability in accordance with the holding in Spicer v. McDonough.
Updated language in an example to align with the holding in Spicer v. McDonough.
Updated language in an example to align with the holding in Spicer v. McDonough.
19 tracked changes
Updated to remove content for relocation to VIII.iii.11 and mark the remaining empty location as historical. Chapter 10 is being reserved for future use.
Updated to add new chapter for COVID-19 guidance, directly relocated from old VIII.iii.10.
Updated to include information about the addition and removal of the Incarceration corporate flash.
Updated to include information about the addition and removal of the Incarceration corporate flash.
Updated to remove outdated printing procedures, update the procedures when a Veteran waives military pay, and add new procedures on processing requests to reverse a waiver of military pay.
Updated to add guidance on ESRs prepared by an automated process.
Updated to clarify the perimeters of bore the expense as it pertains to UMEs claimed as last illness or final expenses on a pension or Survivors Pension claim.
Updated to clarify the perimeters of bore the expense as it pertains to UMEs claimed as last illness or final expenses on a pension or Survivors Pension claim.
Updated to provide guidance on handling incomplete Survivors Pension applications.
Updated to clarify when to log an administrative error.
Updated mustard gas and Lewisite development procedures.
Updated mustard gas and Lewisite rating procedures.
Updated to relocate and revise pre-discharge examination instructions.
Updated to clarify examination guidance, resources for verification of service, and remove outdated guidance concerning disposal of paper documents.
Updated guidance on examinations for claims involving an undiagnosed illness or MUCMI.
Updated to include information about QuickSubmit Form Validation.
Updated the special issue indicator used when processing COD determinations.
Updated to clarify guidance concerning consideration of unclaimed theories of SC.
Updated guidance on effective dates based on liberalizing law changes.
41 tracked changes
Updated duplicate records consolidation procedures.
Updated and clarified guidance involving duplicate evidence, document deletion, and e-mail correspondence.
Updated procedures related to the Fugitive Felon Match.
Updated guidance on evaluating painful motion.
Updated shin splints rating guidance.
Updated second-signature requirements for SMC decisions.
Updated to add information on second-signature requirements for SMC decisions.
Updated genitourinary rating guidance.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer being used to submit Code O50, RV1, and NG1 requests to NPRC.
Updated procedures for requesting STRs.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer being used to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Update procedures for following up on requests for service records.
Updated to reflect changes for requesting records from the NPRC and the JAG offices.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer being used to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer being used to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer being used to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated to clarify the procedures for financial audit requests.
Updated to expand automation of hospital reports.
Updated in conjunction with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated to add a new chapter for relocation of content from old VI.iii.5 and revise in accordance with regulatory updates for processing apportionments.
Updated to remove content for relocation to VI.iv.1.A and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated to remove content for relocation to VI.iv.2.B, delete a portion of content, and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated to remove content for relocation to VI.iv.1.B, delete content that is no longer applicable due to regulatory revisions, and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated in accordance with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated to remove content for relocation to VI.iii.1 and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated to add a new section for relocation of content from old VI.iii.1.A and revise in accordance with regulatory updates for processing apportionments.
Updated to add a new section for relocation of content from old VI.iii.1.C and revise in accordance with regulatory updates for processing apportionments.
Updated to add a new section of content with new guidance associated with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments and guidance relocated from old VII.iii.1.A.
Updated to add a new section for relocation of content from old VI.iii.1.B and revise in accordance with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated to relocate and revise portions of content from old VII.iii.1.B and add new content in association with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated to relocate and revise portions of content from old VII.iii.1.A and B and add new content on legacy apportionment maintenance in accordance with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated to add a new chapter for relocation of content from old VII.iii.1.C and revise in accordance with regulatory updates for processing apportionments.
Updated to delete a portion of the content, remove content for relocation to VI.iv.2.A and D, and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated to delete a portion of content, remove content for relocation to Vi.iv.2.B, and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated to remove content for relocation to VI.iv.3 and mark the remaining empty location as historical.
Updated in conjunction with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated in conjunction with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated in conjunction with regulatory revisions for processing apportionments.
Updated an e-mail address used to forward VA Form 26-4555 to Loan Guaranty.
Updated to remove guidance that hub personnel must provide the payee oral notification of the Brady Act restrictions upon receipt of an EP 590 as VA is not subject to the Brady Act nor NICS.
Updated to remove guidance that hub personnel must provide the payee oral notification of the Brady Act restrictions upon receipt of an EP 590 as VA is not subject to the Brady Act nor NICS.
16 tracked changes
Updated to add guidance on when Survivor's Pension at the $90 Medicaid rate may be paid as the greater benefit instead of DIC.
Updated guidance related to dependency effective dates and systems.
Updated to add guidance on expanded burial eligibility, automated burial transportation, and handling unclaimed Veteran remains claims.
Updated to add guidance on when Survivor's Pension at the $90 Medicaid rate may be paid as the greater benefit instead of DIC.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer the primary method to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated to add guidance on identifying the specific document(s) used to determine a claim is based on MST.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer the primary method to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer the primary method to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated to reflect that PIES is no longer the primary method to submit code O50 requests to NPRC.
Updated guidance based on the final rule that amends VA’s regulations to limit the circumstances in which benefits will be apportioned for claims received on or after February 9, 2026.
Updated guidance based on the final rule that amends VA’s regulations to limit the circumstances in which benefits will be apportioned for claims received on or after February 9, 2026.
Updated to clarify that payment of DIC to a child, who is not in the custody of a potential surviving spouse, must not be delayed while a DIC determination is pending for the potential surviving spouse’s entitlement.
Updated to clarify that claims processors should no longer send eligible claimants physical versions of VA Form 22-5490 for DEA benefits.
Updated to clarify that claims processors should no longer send eligible claimants physical versions of VA Form 22-5490 for DEA benefits.
Updated to indicate that service previously identified as VADS verified will be displayed as System Verified Service.
Updated to indicate that service previously identified as VADS verified will be displayed as System Verified Service.
23 tracked changes
Updated to remove reference to discontinued forms and outdated paper claims folder guidance, clarify when a Veteran is eligible for full CRDP, and clarify when to document eligibility of full CRDP.
Updated to add an exception to withholding MRP, clarify the documentation needed to elect compensation or MRP, and remove outdated claims folder guidance.
Updated to clarify when to treat VA Form 21-22a as incomplete.
Updated to clarify what constitutes a complete VA Form 21-22a.
Updated contact information for DFAS.
Updated resources available to obtain verification of service.
Updated to include the Secretary's Timeliness instructions for SSA income matches and to clarify procedures for handling SSA income changes that occur in November or December that are not related to COLA.
Updated to explain that users should utilize the Protect COLA Rate and Unprotect COLA Rate guidance within VBMS-A.
Updated to clarify that the claimant must be notified immediately of an incomplete application for pension even if they are claiming SC death and to provide guidance on development actions following a service member or Veteran's death by suicide.
Updated instructions for requesting VR&E and archived VAMC records.
Updated to add guidance on acute and transitory conditions.
Updated to clarify that when the rating activity defers service-connected death determinations that there should be no rating decision that denies DIC under 38 U.S.C. 1318.
Updated guidance to refer to QuickSubmit.
Updated guidance to refer to QuickSubmit.
Updated guidance to refer to QuickSubmit.
Updated guidance on qualification requirements for mental health professionals performing C&P psychological examinations.
Updated guidance to refer to QuickSubmit.
Updated guidance to refer to QuickSubmit.
Updated to relocate the topic on Payment of Accrued Benefits as Reimbursement to this section, define the term bore the expense, and clarify accrued reimbursement.
Updated to clarify guidance on evidence needed to complete the application for accrued benefits and request to substitute.
Updated guidance regarding claims for reimbursement based on Helmick v. McDonough and to clarify EP control for substitution and accrued claims.
Updated guidance to refer to QuickSubmit.
Updated to incorporate the CAVC holding in Laska v. McDonough and to clarify criteria and procedures for establishing entitlement to SMC (t).
Claim Raven monitors the VA's M21-1 change memos on the KnowVA portal and logs every detected change here. Summaries condense the VA's own change notes; always verify against the VA's own change log, linked on every entry, before acting on a summary. That link goes to the VA's "Changes by date" listing rather than to a separate memo per change, because the VA publishes the change notes in that one place. Changes judged significant for veterans get a full plain-language analysis in the Claim Raven blog, linked from the entry.
This log is checked daily. New official notices can appear here automatically, while any replacement Claim Raven explanation remains behind a separate editorial review and publication gate. Every entry has a stable link (use "Link to this change"), so you can cite a specific change directly. For original outcome data from Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions, see Claim Raven Research.