{"id":497,"date":"2026-08-04T04:44:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=497"},"modified":"2026-08-04T04:44:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:44:19","slug":"separation-health-assessment-part-a-now-required-on-claims-from-transitioning-service-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=497","title":{"rendered":"Separation Health Assessment Part A now required on claims from transitioning service members"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-6 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-padding-top:64px;--awb-padding-top-medium:32px;--awb-padding-top-small:18px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap\">\n<div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1456px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 )\">\n<article class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-7 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:1rem;--awb-padding-right:1rem;--awb-padding-bottom:1rem;--awb-padding-left:1rem;--awb-padding-right-medium:4%;--awb-padding-left-medium:4%;--awb-padding-right-small:4%;--awb-padding-left-small:4%;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:56%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.4285714285714%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.4285714285714%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:1;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:1;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%\">\n<div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\">\n<div class=\"fusion-content-tb fusion-content-tb-1 prose\" style=\"--awb-font-size:1.125rem;--awb-line-height:1.5;--awb-text-font-family:var(--awb-typography4-font-family);--awb-text-font-weight:var(--awb-typography4-font-weight);--awb-text-font-style:var(--awb-typography4-font-style)\">\n<p>If you are a transitioning service member applying for VA disability compensation under the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) or the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) program, there are some changes coming that you should know about.\u00a0Starting April 1, you will be required to complete and submit the Part A Self-Assessment of a new Separation Health Assessment (SHA) with your BDD or IDES application.<\/p>\n<p>The SHA is a single separation examination which supports both the VA disability compensation process and the Department of Defense (DoD) separation\/retirement process. The SHA examination documents any medical concerns identified during your military career, assists with identifying future illnesses, and reduces redundant examinations between both agencies.<\/p>\n<p>The SHA is divided into three Parts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Part A \u2013 medical history questionnaire (previously completed using DD Form 2807-1). You must complete Part A prior to attending your clinical assessment<\/li>\n<li>Part B \u2013 clinical assessment. This is where the examiner will review your Part A and your Service Treatment Records (STRs), provide an examination, and then deliver a clinical assessment<\/li>\n<li>Part C \u2013 this is reserved for DoD Reviewer purposes only to ensure service member is medically qualified for discharge.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The SHA Part A questionnaire will provide VA examiners a history of the service member\u2019s medical conditions and will assist with conducting a more thorough and better-quality examination. A link to the Part A questionnaire will be placed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vba.va.gov\/pubs\/forms\/VBA-21-526EZ-ARE.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">VA Form 21-526-EZ Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefit<\/a>, under the eligibility criteria for the BDD program, and on the VA BDD and IDES <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benefits.va.gov\/BENEFITS\/factsheets.asp\" rel=\"noopener\">Fact Sheets<\/a>. A direct link to Part A is also available <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benefits.va.gov\/compensation\/dbq_publicdbqs.asp\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>BDD claimants who submit applications online can upload the completed Part A with their STRs under the evidence section. After VA receives and reviews the application, STRs, and completed Part A Self-Assessment, an SHA examination will be requested. The SHA clinical assessment will be conducted by one of VA\u2019s contracted disability examiners or a local VA Medical Center disability examiner. All evidence submitted by the service member will be made available electronically to the examiner.<\/p>\n<p>The new SHA is a multi-year collaborative effort between both agencies to improve the separation examination process for service members exiting the military.<\/p>\n<p>For further information on the BDD and IDES programs, please visit our website at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/disability\/how-to-file-claim\/when-to-file\/pre-discharge-claim\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Pre-Discharge Claim | Veterans Affairs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;width:100%\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;width:100%\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-builder-row-inner fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"--awb-flex-grow:0;--awb-flex-grow-medium:0;--awb-flex-grow-small:0;--awb-flex-shrink:0;--awb-flex-shrink-medium:0;--awb-flex-shrink-small:0;width:104% !important;max-width:104% !important;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 )\">\n<div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column_inner fusion-builder-nested-column-4 fusion_builder_column_inner_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:64px;--awb-padding-bottom:32px;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%\">\n<div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-center fusion-content-layout-column\">\n<div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-3 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"--awb-margin-bottom:.5rem;--awb-margin-top-small:0px;--awb-margin-right-small:0px;--awb-margin-bottom-small:20px;--awb-margin-left-small:0px;--awb-font-size:1.3rem\">\n<h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-center\" style=\"font-family:var(--awb-custom_typography_1-font-family);font-weight:var(--awb-custom_typography_1-font-weight);font-style:var(--awb-custom_typography_1-font-style);margin:0;font-size:1em\">Topics in this story<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-4 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-paragraph post-tags\" style=\"--awb-margin-top-small:0px;--awb-margin-right-small:0px;--awb-margin-bottom-small:20px;--awb-margin-left-small:0px;--awb-font-size:1rem\">\n<p class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-center title-heading-tag\" style=\"font-family:var(--awb-custom_typography_11-font-family);font-weight:var(--awb-custom_typography_11-font-weight);font-style:var(--awb-custom_typography_11-font-style);margin:0;font-size:1em\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/tag\/disability-compensation\/\" title=\"disability compensation\">disability compensation<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/tag\/transition\/\" title=\"transition\">transition<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/117618\/discharge-separation-health-assessment-part-a\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">disability compensation \u2013 VA News<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/117618\/discharge-separation-health-assessment-part-a\/\">disability compensation \u2013 VA News<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting April 1st, transitioning service members applying for disability compensation through Benefits Delivery at Discharge or Integrated Disability Evaluation System will be required to complete and submit the Part A Self-Assessment of a new Separation Health Assessment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-disabled-veterans"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=497"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/497\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":746,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/497\/revisions\/746"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}