How a VA Claim Exam (C&P) Works
A VA claim exam is also called a compensation and pension exam, or C&P exam.
VA may ask you to attend one after a disability claim is filed. The exam gathers information for the claim. It is not treatment. It is not the rating decision.
The provider writes a report. That report is evidence. The decision letter is the decision.
Veterans SOP teaches how this step works. We do not schedule exams. We do not attend them. We do not file claims and we do not represent you with VA.
What a Claim Exam Is
VA uses a claim exam when it needs more information to decide a claim.
The exam can help VA decide whether a condition is service connected and how to rate it if it is. That is the purpose of the appointment. The provider will not treat an illness or injury, give referrals, or prescribe medicine.
A VA provider or a VA contract provider may do the exam. VA says contractors follow the same medical training and licensing standards as VA providers.
The appointment may be in person. In some cases VA schedules a telehealth exam by phone or video.
A short exam is still an exam. Length depends on the conditions claimed and how much more information VA needs.
Not Everyone Gets One
VA says it will ask you to have a claim exam only if it needs more information to decide the claim.
If there is already enough medical evidence in the file, VA may use the Acceptable Clinical Evidence (ACE) process instead. That means VA reviews the records it has, and may ask you to submit more evidence, without scheduling an exam.
Medical evidence may include doctor and hospital reports, test results, and other documents already in the file.
A private diagnosis or a therapist letter can be useful evidence. It does not automatically cancel an exam VA has already scheduled.
Before the Exam
VA or a contractor will usually mail a letter with the date and time. You may also get a phone call or email.
Update your address and phone number so the notice reaches you.
When you get the letter or call:
Confirm the place and time using the number on the notice. Ask about transportation or other accommodations if you need them. Write down the date, time, location or video instructions, and the contractor name if one is listed.
VA says you do not need to bring anything to the exam. If you have new non-VA medical records, submit them before the appointment. Do not wait to hand them to the examiner and assume they will go into the claim file. The provider may look at papers you bring. That is not the same as submitting them to VA.
Submit new records through VA’s claim status tool, through an accredited representative you choose, or by mail to a VA regional office.
If the exam is for reproductive health, breast, rectal, or mental health, or if the claim is related to military sexual trauma, you can request a male or female provider. For a sensitive physical exam, you can ask for a chaperone who works with the provider.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early. VA says the provider may cancel the exam if you are late. Wear clothes you can move in.
Change your address in your VA.gov profile
Check your claim, decision review, or appeal status
What Happens at the Exam
The provider may do any of the following:
• A basic physical exam, with or without physical contact
• Questions based on the medical records in the claim file
• Questions from a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for a claimed condition
• Tests such as X-rays or blood work, at no cost to you
You can discuss whether a caregiver or family member may stay in the room. The provider may ask them to wait outside.
You can also have your own provider complete a DBQ and submit it to VA. VA will not pay or reimburse that cost.
The exam is one piece of evidence. It does not replace the rest of the file, and it is not a promise about the rating.
Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)
After the Exam
The provider writes an exam report and sends it to VA.
VA reviews the evidence in the file, including that report, other medical records, test results, statements, and military records. Then VA makes a decision and sends a decision letter.
The report is not the decision. Finding out that the exam happened is not the same as knowing what the letter will say.
You cannot get the results at the exam or directly from the provider. If you want a copy of the report, you have to request it.
Check claim status on VA.gov. Keep copies of what you already submitted.
If You Need to Reschedule
Tell the VA medical center or the contractor at least 48 hours in advance. Use the number on the appointment letter. Rescheduling may delay the claim.
VA currently lists these contractor lines. Confirm the name on your letter before you call:
Loyal Source Government Services (LSGS) — 833-832-7077 (TTY: 711). Caller ID may show “VA Exam - Loyal Source.”
OptumServe Health Services (OSHS) — 866-933-8387. Caller ID may show “VA EXAM - Optum.”
Leidos QTC Health Services (QTC) — 800-682-9701. Caller ID may show “VA EXAM-QTC.”
Veterans Evaluation Services (VES) — 877-637-8387. Outside the continental U.S.: 713-255-5656. Caller ID may show “VA EXAM-VES.”
You can also call VA at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711).
If the exam is with a contractor, VA says you can reschedule only once per exam, and the new appointment must be within 5 days of the original date. If you are not available in those 5 days, tell the contractor and call VA.
Do not ignore the letter and hope the appointment goes away.
If You Miss the Exam
Missing the exam will delay the claim. VA may decide the claim on the evidence it already has.
If VA finds good cause, it may schedule a new appointment. VA lists examples such as the death of someone in your immediate family, homelessness, hospitalization, or a terminal illness.
You can explain why you missed the exam in any of these ways:
• Call VA at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711)
• Upload a letter through the claim status tool
• Mail a letter to the address below
Department of Veterans Affairs Evidence Intake Center PO Box 4444 Janesville, WI 53547-4444
Write down the exam date, the reason you missed it, and the date you contacted VA.
Check your claim, decision review, or appeal status
How to Request the Exam Report
Request a copy of the final exam report with a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act Request, VA Form 20-10206.
You can submit that request online, by mail, or in person at a VA regional office.
Mail the completed form to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Evidence Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
On the form, you can request disability examinations, also called C&P exams. If you know the exam date, write it in the remarks.
Getting the report is not the same as getting the decision letter. Read both when you have them.
Request personal records online
Travel Pay
VA says it will pay you back for travel to and from a claim exam at a VA medical center.
If the exam is with a contractor, the contractor handles the travel payment. If you do not receive it within 14 days after the appointment, call the contractor on your letter.
Active-duty service members and people who live outside the United States or U.S. territories are not eligible for this travel reimbursement.
What This Page Is
This page is education. It explains what a VA claim exam is and what happens after one is scheduled.
Veterans SOP does not schedule claim exams. We do not attend them. We do not file claims. We do not represent you with VA. We do not promise a rating or a timeline.
Questions about the course How to Navigate the VA System:
(858) 353-9001