Statistical Trends: Veterans with a Service-Connected ...

[Pages:8]Statistical Trends: Veterans with a Service-Connected

Disability, 1990 to 2018

Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics May 2019

NCVAS National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics

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Data Source

? Data regarding Veterans with service-connected disabilities were derived from individual Annual Benefits Reports published on the VA website .

? The data were supplemented using annual extracts of VA's disability payment files.

? For details regarding estimates of the total Veteran population, see VetPop 2016 Technical Documentation. _Vetpop_Model/Vetpop16_Executive_Summary.pdf

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What is a service-connected disability?

? "Service-connected" (SC) means the disability was a result of disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service. These disabilities are evaluated according to the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA's) Schedule for Rating Disabilities in Title 38, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4.

? Service-connected disability ratings are graduated based on the degree of the Veteran's disability on a scale of 0 to 100 percent, in increments of 10 percent.

? Zero percent is a valid rating and is different than having no rating at all. Of Veterans rated SC 0%, only those receiving Special Monthly Compensation were included in this analysis.

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The Veteran population has been declining since 1990 while the number of Veterans with a service-connected disability has been on the rise.

Service-Connected Disabled Veterans In Millions

# Veterans

# SC Disabled Veterans

117% increase since 1990

31

5.0

Veteran Population In Millions

29

4.5

27 4.0

25 3.5

23 3.0

21

2.5 19

17

2.0

15

1.5

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Reports, 1990-2018; Office of Enterprise Integration, Office of Predictive Analytics and Actuary, Veteran Population Projection Model (VetPop), 2016.

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Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

The rate of increase in cash payments is outpacing the growth in the number of Veterans with a service-connected disability.

Cash Payments In Billions ($)

Service-Connected Disabled Veterans In Millions

SC Disabled Veterans

Annualized Cash Payments

$90

5.0

$80

Average rate of increase in the number of SC disabled Veterans is

4.5

2.9% and 8.0% for the amount of

$70

annual Compensation payments.

4.0

3.5 $60

3.0 $50

2.5 $40

2.0

$30 1.5

$20

1.0

$10

0.5

$0

0.0

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Reports, 1990-2018. Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

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Growth in the number of Veterans with a service-connected disability is concentrated among those rated 50 percent or higher.

0 to 20 percent

30 to 40 percent

50 to 60 percent

70 to 100 percent

2,500

2,000

In Thousands

1,500

1,000

500

0

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Reports, 1990-2018.

Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

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In recent fiscal years, Veterans granted Disability Compensation for the first time have received higher initial ratings compared with those who were granted Compensation in prior years.

80% 0 to 20 percent 30 to 40 percent 50 to 60 percent 70 to 100 percent

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Reports, 1990-2018. Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

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Contact Information

Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Policy and Planning

National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics

For general inquiries, please email us at VANCVAS@.

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