VA Secretary Douglas A. Collins posted on X on Thursday that the agency will not enforce the rule but will continue to collect public comments.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is halting enforcement of a new rule for determining disability payments after veterans across the US expressed outrage for what they said would likely reduce benefits for many.

If a medication or treatment lowers a veteran's disability level, the rating will be based on the lower level, according to a new VA regulation.

A Vietnam veteran has filed suit over a VA rule that requires medical examiners to factor in a medication's effects when determining a disability rating.

Veterans groups said the rule is an “abrupt shift” and was “issued in a closed and unnecessarily expedited process.”

VA Secretary Doug Collins said the agency looks to avoid what many perceived as “adverse consequences.”

VA is proposing major changes to disability ratings for sleep apnea, tinnitus, and mental health, shifting away from device based formulas and toward functional impairment.