from a PEB, DRASs must and Controls for Completing Proposed complete the decision, and Rating provide a copy of the decision to the PEB. Decisions In order to maintain control of pending requests and ensure they are completed on time, DRASs must make the following updates to VBMS upon receipt of a request for a proposed rating decision set a claim-level suspense under the pending EP 689 that expires 10 days after receipt of the request, and change the suspense reason and claim status to Ready for Decision. If a PEB requests a proposed rating decision an d. Examination more than one year after Reports That IDES participant completes all of his/her IDES-related examinations, it is not Age Because of necessary to order new examinations there is evidence indicating the unless Delays in the severity of the his/her disabilities has changed. IDES Process A assertion that the severity of his/her disabilities Example: participant’s have worsened constitutes evidence that warrants reexamination of the participant. e. Additional Occasionally, PEBs may have additional records to submit to VA when they Records PEBs request a proposed rating decision. If the records are sensitive, PEBs may May Provide in send them using SAFE. Connection With A Request For information about retrieving records that PEBs send through Reference: for a Proposed SAFE, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.D.20.c. Rating Decision DRASs are responsible for preparing proposed rating decisions for PEBs that f. Disabilities DRASs Must address every disability Address and Decisions They an IDES participant indicated on the during the initial VA Form 21-0819 May Defer in a meeting with his/her MSC Proposed a service department referred to VA, participant’s Rating Decision found on the examination that is within the scope of a condition referred by the Service Department, and found on the examination that is within the scope of a condition claimed by the participant that can be granted based on the evidence of record. DRASs may defer a decision on a disability in cases involving only a disability found on an examination that is within the scope of a claimed disability but there is not sufficient evidence to decide the issue
and Controls for Completing Proposed Rating Decisions from a PEB, DRASs must complete the decision, and provide a copy of the decision to the PEB. In order to maintain control of pending requests and ensure they are completed on time, DRASs must make the following updates to VBMS upon receipt of a request for a proposed rating decision set a claim-level suspense under the pending EP 689 that expires 10 days after receipt of the request, and change the suspense reason and claim status to Ready for Decision. d. Examination Reports That Age Because of Delays in the IDES Process If a PEB requests a proposed rating decision more than one year after an IDES participant completes all of his/her IDES-related examinations, it is not necessary to order new examinations unless there is evidence indicating the severity of the his/her disabilities has changed. Example: A participant’s assertion that the severity of his/her disabilities have worsened constitutes evidence that warrants reexamination of the participant. e. Additional Records PEBs May Provide in Connection With A Request for a Proposed Rating Decision Occasionally, PEBs may have additional records to submit to VA when they request a proposed rating decision. If the records are sensitive, PEBs may send them using SAFE. Reference: For information about retrieving records that PEBs send through SAFE, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.D.20.c. f. Disabilities DRASs Must Address and Decisions They May Defer in a Proposed Rating Decision DRASs are responsible for preparing proposed rating decisions for PEBs that address every disability an IDES participant indicated on the VA Form 21-0819 during the initial meeting with his/her MSC a participant’s service department referred to VA, found on the examination that is within the scope of a condition referred by the Service Department, and found on the examination that is within the scope of a condition claimed by the participant that can be granted based on the evidence of record. DRASs may defer a decision on a disability only in cases involving a disability found on an examination that is within the scope of a claimed disability but there is not sufficient evidence to decide the issue