Asthma vs COPD: VA Rating Comparison
Educational reference, not legal advice or claims assistance. This page compares how the VA rates two conditions. It does not tell you which to claim; that depends on your diagnosis and evidence. For help with a specific claim, work with a free VA-accredited representative.
How the VA rates Asthma (diagnostic code 6602) compared with COPD (diagnostic code 6604), under 38 CFR Part 4. This is a factual side-by-side of the rating criteria, the kind veterans look up when two conditions sound similar.
Same rating ladder
Asthma and COPD are rated on the same set of percentage levels (often the same rating formula). The percentages and criteria match; what differs is the diagnosis and the medical evidence each requires. A higher rating is not won by picking one label over the other.Rating criteria side by side
DC 6602 · Respiratory System
Asthma
Maximum schedular rating: 100%
| 100% | Your asthma qualifies for this rating if your lung function tests show severe impairment (FEV-1 measures how much air you can blow out in one second, and it's less than 40% of what's normal for someone your age and size), or if you have more than one asthma attack per week that causes respiratory failure (when your lungs can't get enough oxygen to your body). You also qualify if you need to take high-dose steroid pills or injections every day, or other strong medications that suppress your immune system to control your asthma. |
|---|---|
| 60% | You qualify for this rating if your lung function tests show you can only breathe out 40-55% of what's predicted for someone your age and size, or if the ratio between how much air you can push out in one second versus your total lung capacity is between 40-55%. You also qualify if your asthma flare-ups are severe enough that you need to see a doctor at least once every month, or if you need steroid pills or injections at least three times per year to control your symptoms. |
| 30% | You qualify for this rating if your breathing tests show your lung function is between 56-70% of what's expected for someone your age and size (FEV-1 is how much air you can blow out in one second, and FEV-1/FVC compares that to your total lung capacity). You also qualify if you need to use daily inhalers with bronchodilators (medications that open your airways like albuterol) or anti-inflammatory medications (like corticosteroids) to control your asthma symptoms. |
| 10% | You qualify if your breathing test shows your lung function is between 71-80% of what's expected for someone your age and size (FEV-1 measures how much air you can blow out in one second, and FEV-1/FVC compares that to your total lung capacity). You also qualify if you need to use rescue inhalers or take oral medications on and off to control your asthma symptoms, rather than needing them daily. |
DC 6604 · Respiratory System
COPD
Maximum schedular rating: 100%
| 100% | You qualify for this rating if your lung function tests show your breathing capacity is severely reduced to less than 40% of what's expected for someone your age and size, or if your maximum exercise ability is extremely limited (less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption). You also qualify if you have serious heart complications from your lung disease like right heart failure, an enlarged right side of your heart, or high blood pressure in your lungs, or if you've had episodes where you couldn't breathe well enough and needed emergency treatment (acute respiratory failure). Additionally, if you need to use oxygen therapy at home or as an outpatient, you meet the criteria for this rating level. |
|---|---|
| 60% | Your breathing tests must show that your lungs are working at only 40-55% of what they should be for someone your age and size. This includes tests that measure how much air you can blow out in one second (FEV-1), what percentage of your total lung capacity you can exhale quickly (FEV-1/FVC ratio), how well oxygen moves from your lungs into your blood (DLCO), or how much oxygen your body can use during exercise (maximum oxygen consumption). At this level, your chronic bronchitis significantly limits your breathing capacity to about half of normal function. |
| 30% | Your lung function tests must show that you're breathing at 56-70% of what's expected for someone your age and size. This is measured through breathing tests where you blow into a machine that checks how much air you can push out of your lungs in one second (FEV-1), what percentage of your total lung capacity you can exhale quickly (FEV-1/FVC ratio), or how well your lungs transfer oxygen into your blood (DLCO test). At this level, your chronic bronchitis significantly limits your breathing capacity but you still retain more than half of normal lung function. |
| 10% | To qualify for this rating level, your lung function tests must show mild impairment in one of three key measurements. Either your FEV-1 (the amount of air you can forcefully exhale in one second) is 71-80% of what's expected for someone your age and size, or your FEV-1/FVC ratio (how much air you can blow out compared to your total lung capacity) is 71-80%, or your DLCO test (which measures how well oxygen moves from your lungs into your blood) shows 66-80% of normal function. |
Criteria are summarized in plain language. The controlling text is the Schedule for Rating Disabilities, 38 CFR Part 4. Full criteria for each are on the Asthma and COPD code pages.
Can both be rated at the same time?
The VA generally does not rate the same disability twice. Under the anti-pyramiding rule (38 CFR 4.14), two conditions are rated separately only when they cause distinct, non-overlapping symptoms. When the symptoms overlap, the VA assigns a single rating under whichever code best fits. Whether Asthma and COPD can be rated separately depends on the symptoms documented in the evidence. See the pyramiding guide.
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