VA Disability Rating for Sleep Apnea Syndromes (DC 6847)

Rating levels

• 100% — You qualify at this level if your sleep apnea has caused chronic respiratory failure where your body can't get rid of carbon dioxide properly, or if it has led to cor pulmonale (heart problems caused by lung disease). You also qualify if you need a tracheostomy (a surgical opening in your neck to help you breathe).
• 50% — You must use a breathing assistance machine like a CPAP device (continuous positive airway pressure machine) all the time to help keep your airways open and support your breathing.
• 30% — You feel excessively sleepy during the day on a regular, ongoing basis that doesn't go away. This persistent daytime sleepiness (hypersomnolence) means you have trouble staying awake or alert during normal daytime hours, even after what should be a full night's sleep, and it significantly impacts your daily activities.
• 0% — You have been diagnosed with sleep apnea through a sleep study or other medical testing, but you don't experience any noticeable symptoms from it. Even though the medical tests show you have breathing problems while sleeping (documented sleep disorder breathing), you don't have symptoms like daytime fatigue, morning headaches, or need to use a CPAP machine.