The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 signed into law on January 5, 2021, required VA to reinstitute the public use Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) and publish them on VA’s website. In compliance with this Act, the public facing DBQs have been published and were made available March 1, 2021, at the following link: https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/dbq_publicdbqs.asp
Public-use DBQ forms are intended to be completed by the Veteran’s medical provider. Veterans and those representing them can then submit the DBQ(s) in conjunction with the claim for processing. If there is enough medical evidence within the completed DBQ(s), it may serve in lieu of an examination. However, there will be instances for which an in-person exam is still needed to complete the claim.
VA will not pay or reimburse any expenses or costs incurred in the process of completing and/or submitting DBQs completed by the Veteran’s healthcare provider.
As stated, VA may determine an additional disability examination is still required to complete the claim for disability benefits and will be provided at no cost to the Veteran. The Veteran should make every effort to report for the examination.
VA reserves the right to confirm the authenticity of all DBQs completed by health care providers. Information submitted is subject to verification through computer matching programs with other agencies or any other means deemed appropriate by VA.