The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has withdrawn then Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) from public view after citing abuse of the system.
According to an article published by Yahoo News for Military.com, “DBQs are standardized forms used by clinicians performing disability examinations (also known as Compensation & Pension exams, or C&P exams). A disability examination must usually be completed by a physician before the VA will pay a veteran disability benefits. For example, the DBQ for shoulder and arm conditions requires the examiner to note how much a veteran’s range of motion is limited, how much strength in the joint is decreased, how much pain the veteran experiences, and how much these measurements change after repeated motion. Often, the forms have checkboxes that can be completed by the physician with little or no explanatory writing or having to know detailed standardized medical codes. This data is then transmitted to the VA, which compares it against the Schedule of Rating Disabilities written into federal law and makes a disability percentage determination.”
This process was developed to make the disability medical examination more efficient for VA examiners, contracted private examiners, and other private physicians. The system provided an easy way for medical professionals to relay medical information to the VA disability rating specialist, who could, therefore, make a disability rating decision without having to request more information from the examiner.
However, the VA stated earlier this month that they are seeing “a growing industry of individuals and companies marketing the service of completing DBQs for Veterans.” that are claiming they can “guarantee” the highest disability and payout for veterans. Although the questionnaires will no longer be public, the VA says that DBQs will still be available to medical professionals.
Relevant Pages: Veterans Disability