See who a change affects, when it applies, and which career step to revisit.
Official sources checked 2026-09-05. Each entry separates an announcement from its effective date. This is an editorial snapshot, not a live legal feed.
VA · Current guidance
Intent to File includes Supplemental Claims
Published / updated: 2026-08-17 Effective: Current VA instructions; page update is not a new law's effective date
Who should check: People preparing an initial or Supplemental Claim
VA now explicitly describes automatic intents when an identity-verified user starts an eligible online disability application or disability Supplemental Claim. Other benefit types have different submission rules.
Next step: Confirm the recorded intent and complete the claim within one year. Keep decision-review deadlines separate; an intent does not substitute for filing the review itself.
Published / updated: Official announcement checked 2026-09-05 Effective: Coverage changes take effect 2027-01-01
Who should check: People eligible for applicable Prime options or Select
The announced enrollment period is November 9 through December 8, 2026. This is not the enrollment rule for every TRICARE plan or for active-duty members.
Next step: Compare access and costs for your eligible plans. A qualifying life event may permit changes outside open season. Check the official page for revisions.
Published / updated: 2026-02-27 Effective: Rescission effective 2026-02-27
Who should check: Claimants researching medication, treatment and disability ratings
VA withdrew the February 17, 2026 interim final rule, Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication, and restored the prior regulatory text. The February 17 amendment must not be presented as current law.
Next step: Use the applicable diagnostic criteria and competent evidence. Describe treatment and symptoms accurately; do not change prescribed treatment for a claim.
A proposal, press release or regulatory agenda is not an effective rating change. Before using revised criteria, confirm the final published rule, effective date and transition provisions. Keep proposals separate from the criteria used to prepare your claim.
Sleep apnea, auditory and mental-disorder revisions have been the subject of proposals. This page does not certify their full current docket status. Check the current rating schedule and VA Federal Register documents; publication plans alone do not establish an effective rule.