Ithaca College

Jennifer Tennant (Economics) received funding from the Social Security Administration, through Mathematica’s Disability Research Consortium, for a study entitled “Did the 2010 VA PTSD Rule Change Have a Spillover Effect on the SSDI Program?” (with Yonatan Ben-Shalom and David Stapleton).  In July of 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) changed their regulations with regard to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The new rule applies to all veterans, including those who served prior to 9/11, and simplifies the process for obtaining disability compensation for veterans with PTSD. We will examine whether the change in the VA PTSD rule led to an increase in self-reported cognitive disability and VA disability compensation receipt for veterans who served in combat zones.