Respiratory System§ 4.97Updated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 6600Bronchitis, chronic:

Rated from 10% to 100% under § 4.97. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

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What each rating requires

The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.

  1. 100%

    FEV-1 less than 40 percent of predicted value, or; the ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume in one second to Forced Vital Capacity (FEV-1/FVC) less than 40 percent, or; Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the Single Breath Method (DLCO (SB)) less than 40-percent predicted, or; maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption (with cardiac or respiratory limitation), or; cor pulmonale (right heart failure), or; right ventricular hypertrophy, or; pulmonary hypertension (shown by Echo or cardiac catheterization), or; episode(s) of acute respiratory failure, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy

  2. 60%

    FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; maximum oxygen consumption of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min (with cardiorespiratory limit)

  3. 30%

    FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; DLCO (SB) 56- to 65-percent predicted

  4. 10%

    FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80 percent, or; DLCO (SB) 66- to 80-percent predicted

Chronic Bronchitis (VA Diagnostic Code 6600)

Understanding Your Respiratory Rating

Chronic bronchitis is a condition affecting the Respiratory System, rated by the VA under 38 CFR § 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6600.

The VA assigns a disability rating based largely on the results of pulmonary (lung) function testing and related clinical findings. These measurements help show how well your lungs are moving air and transferring oxygen.

Available Rating Levels

The VA uses the following rating levels for chronic bronchitis:

100%

Assigned when any of the following are shown:

  • FEV-1 less than 40% of predicted value, or
  • FEV-1/FVC ratio less than 40%, or
  • DLCO (SB) less than 40% predicted, or
  • Maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption (with cardiac or respiratory limitation), or
  • Cor pulmonale (right heart failure), or
  • Right ventricular hypertrophy, or
  • Pulmonary hypertension (shown by echocardiogram or cardiac catheterization), or
  • Episode(s) of acute respiratory failure, or
  • Requires outpatient oxygen therapy

60%

Assigned when any of the following are shown:

  • FEV-1 of 40% to 55% predicted, or
  • FEV-1/FVC of 40% to 55%, or
  • DLCO (SB) of 40% to 55% predicted, or
  • Maximum oxygen consumption of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min (with cardiorespiratory limit)

30%

Assigned when any of the following are shown:

  • FEV-1 of 56% to 70% predicted, or
  • FEV-1/FVC of 56% to 70%, or
  • DLCO (SB) of 56% to 65% predicted

10%

Assigned when any of the following are shown:

  • FEV-1 of 71% to 80% predicted, or
  • FEV-1/FVC of 71% to 80%, or
  • DLCO (SB) of 66% to 80% predicted

What the VA Looks For

When rating chronic bronchitis, the VA focuses on measurable results from pulmonary function testing, including:

  • FEV-1 — Forced Expiratory Volume in one second, expressed as a percentage of the predicted value
  • FEV-1/FVC — The ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume in one second to Forced Vital Capacity
  • DLCO (SB) — Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the Single Breath Method, expressed as a percentage of predicted

At the highest rating level, the VA also considers maximum exercise/oxygen consumption capacity and serious clinical findings such as cor pulmonale, right ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary hypertension, acute respiratory failure, and the need for outpatient oxygen therapy.

Because more than one measurement can qualify for a given level, the VA generally considers whichever findings apply to your condition.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.97, diagnostic code 6600. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

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What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. Find your level in the stack

    Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.

  2. Name the gap

    Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 6600 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Respiratory System codes may cover your secondary conditions.

Find out which rating your evidence supports.

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