VA Diagnostic Code 6833Asbestosis
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
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- 100%
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) less than 50-percent predicted, 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 cardiorespiratory limitation, or; cor pulmonale or pulmonary hypertension, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy
- 60%
FVC of 50- to 64-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; maximum exercise capacity of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory limitation
- 30%
FVC of 65- to 74-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 56- to 65-percent predicted
- 10%
FVC of 75- to 80-percent predicted, or; DLCO (SB) of 66- to 80-percent predicted
General rating formula
General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6825 through 6833)
Asbestosis (VA Diagnostic Code 6833)
Understanding how the VA rates asbestosis under the respiratory system schedule.
What Is Asbestosis?
Asbestosis is a condition affecting the respiratory system. Under the VA rating schedule, it is evaluated using Diagnostic Code 6833 within § 4.97, and it is rated according to the General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease.
How the VA Measures It
When rating asbestosis, the VA looks at objective measures of lung function. The primary measurements used in the rating formula include:
- Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) — expressed as a percent of the predicted value
- Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the Single Breath Method (DLCO (SB)) — expressed as a percent of the predicted value
- Maximum exercise capacity — measured in ml/kg/min oxygen consumption, considered alongside cardiorespiratory limitation
The VA also considers certain serious findings, such as cor pulmonale, pulmonary hypertension, or a requirement for outpatient oxygen therapy.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns one of the following disability ratings based on the criteria met:
100%
- FVC less than 50-percent predicted, or
- DLCO (SB) less than 40-percent predicted, or
- Maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory limitation, or
- Cor pulmonale or pulmonary hypertension, or
- Requires outpatient oxygen therapy
60%
- FVC of 50- to 64-percent predicted, or
- DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or
- Maximum exercise capacity of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory limitation
30%
- FVC of 65- to 74-percent predicted, or
- DLCO (SB) of 56- to 65-percent predicted
10%
- FVC of 75- to 80-percent predicted, or
- DLCO (SB) of 66- to 80-percent predicted
What This Means
The rating level reflects the degree of impairment shown by these lung function measurements and related findings. Because the formula allows a rating to be met by any one of several listed criteria at a given level, the VA reviews each applicable measurement when evaluating the condition.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.97, diagnostic code 6833. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
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