Tampa, Florida – Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams, the medical evaluations that often decide whether a veteran’s disability claim succeeds or fails, are increasingly handled outside Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities.
According to data reported to Congress, 93% of VA C&P exams are now performed by third-party contractors, up sharply from 44% in fiscal year 2017.
Four companies handle the bulk of the work: Leidos QTC Health Services, Optum Serve Health Services, Veterans Evaluation Services, and Loyal Source Government Services. These changes can directly affect the claims of countless Florida veterans who are in dire need of their benefits.
How the Contractor Model Works
The VA’s Medical Disability Examination Office (MDEO) oversees contractor performance and reviews error trends for contracted disability exams. The contracts themselves are developed and awarded by VA’s Strategic Acquisition Center under the Office of Procurement, Acquisitions and Logistics. Part of this management includes issuing rework requests when a C&P exam report shows an inadequate finding or insufficient medical opinion.
According to Congressional Research Service reporting, since 2021, the VA has tied vendor compensation to performance metrics on errors and timeliness. Even so, the U.S. Government Accountability Office has flagged ongoing concerns about gaps in VA’s oversight procedures, contractor performance and corrective actions, and the lack of direct feedback mechanisms from contracted examiners — with all five of GAO’s most recent recommendations remaining open as of late 2025. A U.S. Senator has publicly called for a review of contractor exam quality after receiving reports of inadequate treatment of veterans.
Where Veterans Can Run Into Trouble
Veterans Disability attorney, David W. Magann, observed that over his years in practice, he has seen firsthand how an inadequate C&P exam can derail valid claims. He explained that there are recurring issues in these cases. First, examiners may rush through the exam and miss a valid, documented symptom. Next, in some cases, a medical opinion does not address the appropriate service-connection nexus. Finally, he has seen situations where a C&P exam directly contradicts a veteran’s clearly established treatment record.
Magann added that veterans receiving an unfavorable rating after a contractor exam have several options that are easy to miss. A request for clarification, a supplemental claim with new and relevant evidence, or an independent medical opinion from a private provider can each address gaps in the contractor’s report.
Veterans who feel an exam was conducted inappropriately can also request to have it redone, particularly when the exam involved a reproductive health, mental health, or military sexual trauma claim.
Attorney David Magann is a Marine Corps Veteran with a Criminology Degree from The University of South Florida and a Law Degree from The University of Miami. He will be your advocate, working to get the benefits you have earned under the Department of Veterans Affairs. David Magann is also a social security and disability (SSI) lawyer. If you need a veteran's benefits lawyer or social security attorney, contact David W. Magann, PA at 813-657-9175.
David W. Magann, PA
425 West Robertson Street Brandon, FL 33511
1.855.418.9354
https://tampaveteranslawyer.com/
Press Contact : David Magann
Distributed by Law Firm Newswire
