Asthma is one of the few conditions in the rating schedule with two independent paths to the same percentage. Most veterans and a surprising number of raters only look at one of them, which is why so many asthma ratings come back lower than they should.
The DC 6602 Criteria
Bronchial asthma is rated under 38 CFR 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6602. Each tier lists several criteria joined by or, so meeting any one of them qualifies you for that tier:
| Rating | PFT values | Or medication / treatment | 2026 pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | FEV-1 less than 40% predicted, or FEV-1/FVC less than 40% | More than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, or daily systemic high-dose corticosteroids or immunosuppressives | $3,938.58 |
| 60% | FEV-1 of 40 to 55%, or FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55% | At least monthly physician visits for required care of exacerbations, or intermittent systemic corticosteroid courses at least three times per year | $1,435.02 |
| 30% | FEV-1 of 56 to 70%, or FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70% | Daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, or inhalational anti-inflammatory medication | $552.47 |
| 10% | FEV-1 of 71 to 80%, or FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80% | Intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy | $180.42 |
A Daily Controller Inhaler Alone Supports 30%
This is the most valuable sentence on this page. Because the criteria are written in the alternative, daily inhalational bronchodilator therapy or inhalational anti-inflammatory medication independently satisfies the 30% level, regardless of what your pulmonary function tests show.
That matters because well-controlled asthma produces near-normal PFT numbers precisely because the medication is working. Veterans get 10% based on a good test while taking a daily controller that entitles them to 30%. Check your rating decision for which criterion the rater used, and make sure your prescription records clearly distinguish a daily controller from an as-needed rescue inhaler.
Asthma Is a PACT Act Presumptive Condition
The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 made asthma diagnosed after service presumptive for veterans who served in covered locations, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Djibouti, Somalia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Uzbekistan, and the related airspace during the covered periods.
Under a presumption you do not have to prove a nexus between burn pit or airborne hazard exposure and your asthma. You need qualifying service and a current diagnosis. If you were denied an asthma claim before the PACT Act passed, file a supplemental claim: pre-PACT denials can be readjudicated.
Getting Accurate PFT Results
The rating schedule directs the VA to use post-bronchodilator results unless they are poorer than pre-bronchodilator results or post-bronchodilator testing cannot be done. A test taken on a good day, right after your medication, in a mild season, will understate your disability.
- Keep a year-round symptom and rescue-inhaler log so seasonal variation is documented.
- Make sure every emergency department visit and urgent care visit for an exacerbation is in your records.
- Make sure every prednisone burst is documented; three courses in a year independently supports 60%.
- Ask that testing reflect your usual state, not your best day.
How Asthma Combines With Other Respiratory Conditions
38 CFR 4.96 prohibits combining ratings under DC 6600 through 6817 or 6822 through 6847 with each other. Where several apply, a single rating is assigned under the code reflecting the predominant disability, with the others considered in elevating the evaluation. In practice, asthma and sleep apnea are not separately combined.
Sinusitis and rhinitis, rated under DC 6510 through 6522, sit outside that restriction and can be rated separately alongside asthma. Both are also PACT Act presumptive conditions, which makes them the natural companion filings.