Where the Sleep Apnea and Tinnitus Rating Changes Stand
No Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sleep apnea or tinnitus rating change has taken effect. Today, tinnitus is rated at 10 percent and sleep apnea at 0, 30, 50 or 100 percent, and both keep those ratings until the VA publishes a final rule. The current figures for both conditions are on the sleep apnea rating and tinnitus rating pages.
The pending change is a VA proposed rule published in the Federal Register on February 15, 2022, under docket VA-2022-VBA-0009 on regulations.gov. It remains a proposed rule. As of mid-June 2026 reporting, the VA had not finalized it.
In June 2026, VA Press Secretary Quinn Slaven told Task & Purpose that on the 2022 rule, "No changes are planned or imminent." He also said the VA "continues its discussions with Congress."
These facts reflect reporting from mid-June 2026, and the status can change if Congress acts or the VA publishes a final rule. Check the current status of the 2022 rule on its regulations.gov docket.
What the Proposal Would Change
The 2022 proposal would change how the VA measures both conditions: sleep apnea would be rated on how well treatment works, and tinnitus would lose its standalone rating.
Sleep Apnea on a Treatment-Effectiveness Scale
According to Task & Purpose, the proposal would replace the standalone 30 percent sleep apnea rating with a new 0 to 100 percent scale. The rating would turn on "the effectiveness of medical treatment and intervention." Today, the 50 percent level is tied to needing a breathing assistance device such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
Under the proposal, the rating would depend on how well treatment works. No final version of that scale has been published.
Tinnitus as a Symptom of Another Condition
Under the proposal, tinnitus would be treated as a symptom of an underlying condition, such as hearing loss or traumatic brain injury (TBI). It would no longer be rated on its own at 10 percent.
What You Are Rated Under Today
Sleep apnea and tinnitus ratings come from the current VA rating schedule in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The 2022 proposal has not changed either one. See the 38 CFR rating schedule explainer for more on that schedule.
Sleep Apnea Under Diagnostic Code 6847
38 CFR 4.97 rates sleep apnea under Diagnostic Code (DC) 6847 at 0, 30, 50 or 100 percent, depending on symptoms and treatment:
- 30 percent: persistent daytime hypersomnolence (ongoing daytime sleepiness).
- 50 percent: you need a breathing assistance device, such as a CPAP machine.
- 100 percent: chronic respiratory failure, or you need a tracheostomy.
A 0 percent rating is the lowest level on the same scale.
Tinnitus Under Diagnostic Code 6260
38 CFR 4.87 rates recurrent tinnitus under DC 6260 at 10 percent. It is a single rating, so there is no higher or lower tinnitus level under today's rule.
Today's Ratings Compared With the 2022 Proposal
The table sets the rules in force today beside the 2022 proposal as Task & Purpose described it.
| Rating Question | Today | Under the 2022 Proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep apnea scale | 0, 30, 50 or 100 percent (DC 6847) | New 0 to 100 percent scale |
| What sets the sleep apnea rating | Symptoms and treatment, such as a CPAP for 50 percent | "The effectiveness of medical treatment and intervention" |
| Standalone 30 percent sleep apnea level | Yes, for persistent daytime hypersomnolence | Replaced |
| Tinnitus | 10 percent on its own (DC 6260) | Treated as a symptom of an underlying condition |
| Status | In the current rating schedule | Proposed in 2022, with no final rule as of mid-June 2026 |
Who a VA Sleep Apnea and Tinnitus Rating Change Would Reach
The 2022 proposal would apply to new claims and to reassessments or reevaluations of existing claims, according to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) national commander Coleman Nee. Nee told Task & Purpose the proposal could lead to benefit cuts for up to 1.5 million veterans.
How existing sleep apnea or tinnitus awards would be treated depends on the text of a final rule or a law, and neither has been published. If you already hold one of these ratings, note that Nee named reevaluations of existing claims as one route the proposal would reach.
For a new claim filed today, the current DC 6847 and DC 6260 criteria apply, because no final rule has replaced them.
Why Congress Is Involved
Congress is involved because a June 2026 bill would use the 2022 rule's sleep apnea and tinnitus changes to pay for a different veterans benefit.
The Take Care of America's Veterans Act was introduced in the House as H.R. 9237 and in the Senate as S. 4744. It would implement the rule's changes as the budget offset for the Major Richard Star Act. The Star Act would let veterans with fewer than 20 years of service receive disability compensation and retirement pay at the same time, at an estimated cost of $10 billion.
The VA's own analysis of the 2022 rule projected $57 billion in reduced disability compensation over 10 years. Spread evenly, that averages $5.7 billion a year ($57 billion divided by 10).
Where the Bill Stood in Mid-June 2026
- House Veterans Affairs Chairman Mike Bost was working toward a floor vote.
- No Senate vote had been scheduled.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the offset "unnecessary."
- Sen. Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said the Star Act was "unable to pass either House or the Senate."
- VA Press Secretary Quinn Slaven said the VA learned of the legislative proposal the week before the article ran.
A final VA rule or passage of the Take Care of America's Veterans Act would change the answer. Until then, the current rating schedule applies.
What to Do Now
Until a final rule or law is published, the useful steps are keeping your medical records current and watching the rule's status.
- Keep your sleep apnea treatment records current. Today's levels depend on symptoms and treatment, and the proposal would rate on how well treatment works.
- Keep records of any hearing loss or TBI. The proposal would treat tinnitus as a symptom of an underlying condition such as hearing loss or TBI, so keep any diagnosis of those conditions with your claim records.
- Prepare for compensation and pension (C&P) exams. Read our sleep apnea C&P exam guide before a new claim exam or a reevaluation exam.
- Watch the rule's status. Look for a final rule on the regulations.gov docket.
For related rating topics, browse our full list of explainers.
This page is general information about VA ratings. It is not legal or financial advice. The status of the 2022 rule reflects mid-June 2026 reporting and can change.