New VA Rule Stops Automatic Claim Denial Over One Missed Medical Exam

The “Review Every Veterans Claim Act of 2025” is making a crucial, common-sense change to how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) handles benefits applications. If you’re a veteran filing a disability or benefit claim, the VA often requires you to attend a Compensation and Pension (C&P) medical exam to assess your condition. Under the old rules, if you missed that single appointment—maybe due to a work conflict, transport issue, or medical emergency—the VA could, and often did, automatically deny your entire claim. This bill puts an end to that.

The Claims Process Gets a Safety Net

Section 2 of this Act, which amends section 5103A(d) of title 38, United States Code, states clearly that the VA can no longer deny a claim solely because the veteran failed to show up for one scheduled medical examination. Think of this as a procedural safety net. If you’re a construction worker whose shift got extended, a parent with a sick kid, or someone living in a rural area who missed the bus, that single, unavoidable no-show won't immediately tank your entire application for benefits you need.

What Changes for the Veteran and the VA

For the veteran, this means the pressure is off regarding that single appointment. The VA is now required to continue processing your claim, even if you miss the required exam. They can’t just stamp it ‘Denied’ and send you back to square one. This is a huge win for fairness, recognizing that life happens and one scheduling mistake shouldn't erase months or years of paperwork and medical history. The benefit here is clear: it reduces the risk of erroneous denials based on a procedural hurdle rather than the actual medical merit of the claim.

However, the bill is silent on what the VA must do next. It only says they can’t deny the claim solely on the basis of the missed exam. If the medical examination is genuinely necessary to make a decision—which it often is—the VA will still need that information. This creates a procedural gap. While veterans are protected from immediate denial, the VA administration might find itself dealing with increased administrative load, needing to reschedule appointments or request alternative evidence, which could potentially slow down the overall claims process if veterans repeatedly miss necessary exams without consequence. Ultimately, though, this bill ensures that the process respects the gravity of a veteran’s claim and prevents a simple scheduling error from becoming a permanent barrier to essential benefits.