A new cohort study in JAMA Network Open is examining how disability compensation through the US Department of Veterans Affairs changed between 2010 and 2024—and which veterans were most likely to receive benefits, as well as how much they received. The research focuses on a rapidly expanding component of the nation’s veterans’ health and social support system, where shifts in eligibility, disability patterns and payment levels can have significant consequences for household finances and public spending.
VA disability compensation is a monthly, tax-free payment provided to veterans whose medical conditions are connected to their military service. The amount depends primarily on the severity of the disability, the number of dependents and, in some cases, the veteran’s need for assistance with daily activities. Unlike health care benefits, compensation is not designed to reimburse a specific medical bill. Instead, it is intended to offset reduced earning capacity and other economic consequences associated with service-connected illness or injury.
The study, led by Kritee Gujral, PhD, of the Health Economics Resource Center at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, uses a cohort design to follow patterns over time. Cohort studies are observational investigations that examine defined populations across multiple periods, allowing researchers to identify changes in outcomes and associations with characteristics such as age, race and ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status or disability category. This approach can reveal whether shifts in compensation receipt reflect changing veteran demographics, changes in military service exposures, evolving medical diagnoses or modifications in administrative policy.
The 14-year period covered by the analysis is particularly important because the veteran population and the disability claims system have both undergone major changes. Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have entered the VA system with distinct patterns of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and other conditions. At the same time, older veterans from earlier conflicts continue to seek care and compensation for illnesses that may emerge decades after military service. The resulting population is medically and demographically diverse, making simple comparisons between years difficult.
A central question is how disability type relates to both the likelihood of receiving compensation and the size of the benefit. Physical injuries, mental health conditions, neurological disorders and chronic diseases may follow different paths through the claims process. Some disabilities are immediately visible and can be documented through clinical testing, while others—such as post-traumatic stress disorder or chronic pain—may involve symptoms that fluctuate over time and require extensive medical evidence. Differences in documentation, diagnosis and recognition could therefore shape compensation patterns independently of the underlying burden of illness.
The researchers also examine sociodemographic characteristics, an essential element in assessing whether veterans encounter the system in equal ways. Disability compensation is formally determined by service connection and severity rather than by race, income or other social characteristics. However, access to medical care, legal assistance, benefits counselors and supportive documentation can vary across communities. Geographic location, housing stability, employment, education and access to digital services may also influence whether an eligible veteran files a claim, completes the process or appeals a decision.
By tracking both receipt and benefit amounts, the analysis goes beyond counting the number of veterans who participate in the program. Two populations could have the same rate of compensation receipt while experiencing very different financial outcomes if the distribution of disability ratings changes. In technical terms, the researchers are assessing not only prevalence—the proportion receiving compensation—but also the level and distribution of payments. This distinction matters because VA ratings are organized into percentage categories that correspond to increasing degrees of presumed impairment, and small changes in the composition of recipients can produce large changes in total expenditures.
Long-term trend analysis can also help policymakers separate demographic growth from changes in disability burden. An increase in total compensation payments might occur because more veterans are receiving benefits, because average payments are rising, because more recipients qualify for higher ratings or because the veteran population itself is changing. Examining these components together provides a more precise picture of how the system is evolving. It may also help the VA forecast future demand and determine whether claims processing, clinical evaluation and outreach resources are aligned with the needs of different veteran groups.
The findings are expected to contribute to a broader debate about how the United States recognizes and supports service-related disability. Compensation programs operate at the intersection of medicine, economics and public policy: clinical diagnoses influence eligibility, administrative rules translate impairment into rating categories, and payments affect household income and government budgets. By placing trends from 2010 through 2024 alongside disability type and sociodemographic characteristics, the study offers a framework for identifying who is being reached by the system, who may remain underserved and how the financial consequences of military-related disability are distributed across the veteran population.
Subject of Research: US Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation receipt, benefit amounts, sociodemographic characteristics and disability types among veterans.
Web References: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.26100
References: Gujral K, et al. Study of trends in US Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation receipt and benefit amounts from 2010 to 2024. JAMA Network Open. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.26100.
Keywords: Veterans Affairs, disability compensation, veterans, disability benefits, health care policy, health economics, sociodemographic characteristics, disability type, cohort study, United States population
