How the VA Rates Asthma
The VA rates bronchial asthma under Diagnostic Code 6602 (38 CFR §4.97, Schedule of Ratings: Respiratory System). Ratings run from 10% to 100% based on pulmonary function test (PFT) results, specifically FEV-1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) and the FEV-1/FVC ratio, and the level of medication required to control symptoms.
Diagnostic Code 6602: Rating Criteria
- 100%: FEV-1 less than 40% predicted, or FEV-1/FVC less than 40%, or more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, or requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high-dose corticosteroids or immuno-suppressive medications.
- 60%: FEV-1 of 40–55% predicted, or FEV-1/FVC of 40–55%, or at least monthly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbations, or intermittent (at least three per year) courses of systemic corticosteroids.
- 30%: FEV-1 of 56–70% predicted, or FEV-1/FVC of 56–70%, or daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, or inhalational anti-inflammatory medication.
- 10%: FEV-1 of 71–80% predicted, or FEV-1/FVC of 71–80%, or intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator, antiinflammatory, or anti-tussive therapy.
The VA assigns whichever criterion (the PFT result or the medication requirement) produces the higher rating.
Asthma and the PACT Act
Asthma is one of the respiratory conditions covered by the PACT Act's presumptive list for veterans with qualifying airborne hazard and burn pit exposure during covered periods and locations (including Gulf War era and post-9/11 service). If you served in a covered location, you do not need to separately prove that your service caused your asthma; the presumption does that for you, though you still need a current diagnosis and, in most cases, a qualifying service period.
Evidence: Pulmonary Function Tests
PFT results are the central evidence in an asthma claim. Bring your most recent spirometry results (FEV-1, FEV-1/FVC, and whether post-bronchodilator results were used) to your C&P exam, or request a current PFT from your pulmonologist or primary care provider before filing if your last test is old. The VA rates on the test result that most accurately reflects your disability. If pre- and post-bronchodilator results differ, the VA generally uses whichever is more favorable to the higher rating, per the regulation's own instructions to the rater.
Nexus: Connecting Asthma to Military Service
- PACT Act presumption: covered burn pit/airborne hazard exposure and a current asthma diagnosis may be enough on their own.
- In-service onset: service treatment records showing asthma symptoms, an inhaler prescription, or a diagnosis during service.
- Secondary service connection: asthma that developed or worsened because of a service-connected condition, for example aggravated by sleep apnea-related aspiration, or worsened by a service-connected sinus/rhinitis condition.
- Continuity of symptoms: a personal statement describing when symptoms started and how they have continued since service is useful when service treatment records are thin.
What to Expect at Your C&P Exam
- The examiner will order or review a current PFT (spirometry), including FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC.
- Be ready to describe attack frequency, ER/urgent-care visits, and any hospitalizations for asthma in the past 12 months.
- List every asthma medication you currently take (rescue inhaler, daily controller inhaler, or oral/injectable corticosteroids); the medication tier directly affects the rating.
- Mention any related conditions (sleep apnea, GERD, allergic rhinitis) that may support a secondary-condition claim.
2026 Monthly Compensation Amounts
A 10% VA rating for asthma pays $180.42 per month (2026 rate, veteran alone, no dependents). A 30% rating pays $552.47/month, a 60% rating pays $1,435.02/month, and a 100% rating pays $3,938.58/month. Rates increase with dependents at 30% and above; see the full 2026 VA compensation rate chart.
Secondary conditions to asthma
Asthma frequently travels with other conditions that veterans can also claim on a secondary basis, and the C&P exam even asks about several of them directly.
GERD (acid reflux). Acid reflux and asthma have a well-documented bidirectional relationship — reflux can trigger or worsen asthma symptoms, and asthma coughing or medications can worsen reflux in turn. When a physician's opinion documents this connection, GERD secondary to asthma (or asthma secondary to GERD) is one of the more commonly supported secondary claims for veterans with a respiratory rating.
Allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. Asthma and upper-airway allergic conditions are closely linked, and chronic allergic rhinitis or sinusitis frequently coexists with, or is aggravated by, asthma.
Sleep apnea. Long-term corticosteroid use for asthma can contribute to weight gain, a recognized risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, giving some veterans a secondary pathway between the two.
Anxiety and depression. Living with a chronic respiratory condition that limits exertion and requires ongoing medication management can trigger or worsen anxiety and depression; a nexus opinion linking the two supports a secondary claim.
Use our VA disability rating calculator to see how asthma interacts with your other conditions, or browse every rated condition at VA disability.