After you receive a disability rating, VA may schedule a routine future examination to see if your condition has improved. These reexaminations are typically scheduled for conditions that VA believes may improve over time. The timing varies but is often two to five years after the initial rating. Not all conditions are subject to routine reexamination. Conditions that are considered static or permanent, such as amputations, are generally not reexamined. If your condition has been rated at the same level for five or more years, the rating is considered stabilized and VA cannot reduce it unless there is sustained improvement shown by a thorough exam. After twenty years at the same rating level, the rating is protected from reduction except in cases of fraud. If VA schedules you for a reexamination, it is important to attend. Failure to report without good cause can result in a reduction or termination of your benefits. During the reexam, be thorough and honest about your symptoms, just as you would during an initial exam. If you believe your condition has actually worsened since your last rating, the reexam can be an opportunity to receive a higher rating. If VA proposes to reduce your rating based on a reexam, you have the right to a hearing and the opportunity to submit additional evidence before the reduction takes effect.
Note: This article references sections of the VA's M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual. The VA periodically reorganizes the M21-1 and section numbers may have changed since this article was written. For the most current section references, visit the VA's public M21-1 Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS).