C&P Exam for Bronchitis, chronic (DC 6600)

Diagnostic code: 6600Condition: Bronchitis, chronicRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97DBQ: DBQ RESP Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea)

Which form the examiner uses

For bronchitis, chronic (DC 6600), the C&P examiner completes the following Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ):

DBQs are Department of Veterans Affairs Form 21-0960 series documents. Public DBQs are hosted on benefits.va.gov. A handful are examiner-only and are not posted publicly.

What the examiner records

The fields below are reproduced from the DBQ form the examiner completes for this diagnostic code. This is the structural map of the form, showing what the examiner is asked to measure, observe, and record. It is a factual reproduction of the public DBQ, not advice on how to answer.

This DBQ evaluates respiratory conditions (excluding tuberculosis and sleep apnea), including asthma, COPD, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, asbestosis, and diaphragm conditions, organized as Section III subsections per condition.

How DC 6600 maps to this DBQ: for this diagnostic code specifically, the examiner typically completes sections I-VI of this form. Section III is the condition-specific section for this code.

DIAGNOSIS (Section I)
  • 1A. List the claimed condition(s) that pertain to this questionnaire:
  • 1B. Select diagnoses associated with the claimed condition(s) (check all that apply): Asthma — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Emphysema — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Chronic bronchitis — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Constrictive bronchiolitis — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Interstitial lung disease (if checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Restrictive lung disease (If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Mycotic lung disease (If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Sarcoidosis — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Benign or malignant neoplasm or metastases of respiratory system (If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Pulmonary vascular disease (Including pulmonary thromboembolism)(If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Pleurisy with empyema, with or without pleurocutaneous fistula — Unresolved / Resolved — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Other diagnosis #1 / #2 / #3 — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1C. If there are additional diagnoses that pertain to respiratory conditions, list using above format:
MEDICAL HISTORY (Section II)
  • 2A. Describe the history, including onset and course, of the Veteran's respiratory condition(s). Brief summary:
  • 2B. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of oral or parenteral corticosteroid medications?
  • Requires chronic low dose (maintenance) corticosteroids
  • Requires intermittent courses or bursts of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteriods — number of courses or bursts in past 12 months: 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 or more
  • Requires systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control
  • Requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose corticosteroids
  • Requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) immuno-suppressive medications
  • 2C. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of inhaled medications?
  • Inhalational bronchodilator therapy — frequency: Intermittent / Daily
  • Inhalational anti-inflammatory medication — frequency: Intermittent / Daily
  • Other inhaled medications, describe:
  • 2D. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of oral bronchodilators? — frequency: Intermittent / Daily
  • 2E. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of antibiotics? — list antibiotics, dose, frequency and condition
  • 2F. Does the Veteran require outpatient oxygen therapy for his or her respiratory condition?
  • does the Veteran require continuous oxygen therapy (>17 hours/day)?
PULMONARY CONDITIONS (Section III)
    DIAGNOSTIC TESTING (Section IV)
    • 4A. Have imaging studies or procedures been performed? — Chest x-ray (Date / Results) / MRI (Date / Results) / CT (Date / Results) / HRCT (Date / Results) / Bronchoscopy (Date / Results) / Biopsy (Date / Results) / Other (Date / Results)
    • 4B. Has pulmonary function testing (PFT) been performed?
    • Do PFT results reported below reflect the Veteran's current pulmonary function?
    • Reason PFTs not required: Veteran requires outpatient oxygen therapy / 1 or more episodes of acute respiratory failure / Cor pulmonale/right ventricular hypertrophy/pulmonary hypertension / Exercise capacity testing ≤20 ml/kg/min
    • 4C. Date of test:
    • Pre-bronchodilator FVC: % predicted
    • Pre-bronchodilator FEV1: % predicted
    • Pre-bronchodilator FEV-1/FVC: %
    • Post-bronchodilator FVC: % predicted
    • Post-bronchodilator FEV1: % predicted
    • Post-bronchodilator FEV-1/FVC: %
    • DLCO: % predicted
    • 4D. Which test result most accurately reflects the Veteran's level of disability: FVC % predicted / FEV-1 % predicted / FEV-1/FVC / DLCO
    • 4E. If post-bronchodilator testing has not been completed, indicate reason:
    • 4F. If DLCO testing has not been completed, provide reason:
    • 4G. Does the Veteran have multiple respiratory conditions? — list conditions and predominantly responsible condition:
    • 4H. Has exercise capacity testing been performed? — Maximum exercise capacity <15 ml/kg/min / 15-20 ml/kg/min / >20 ml/kg/min / Unknown results
    • 4I. Are there any other significant diagnostic test findings and/or results? — describe (brief summary):
    FUNCTIONAL IMPACT (Section V)
    • 5A. Regardless of the Veteran's current employment status, do the conditions listed in the diagnosis section impact his/her ability to perform any type of occupational task (such as standing, walking, lifting, sitting, etc.)?
    • If yes, describe the functional impact of each condition, providing one or more examples:
    REMARKS (Section VI)
    • 6A. Remarks (if any - please identify the section to which the remark pertains when appropriate).

    Rating Levels for DC 6600

    The following tiers are reproduced from 38 CFR Part 4, the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Toggle between the official VA criteria and a Plain English explanation.

    Plain-English summaries are AI-generated to explain the official criteria. The official 38 CFR language is the binding legal standard. When in doubt, ask a VSO.

    What the Board discussed in granted decisions for DC 6600

    The themes below were extracted by clustering 500 grant-factor sentences from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Frequencies indicate how often each theme appeared in the sample. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not advice or strategy for any specific claim.

    1. 24% Benefit of the doubt doctrine cited as legal standard
      The Board or decision cited the general legal rule that when positive and negative evidence is in approximate balance, the claimant receives the benefit of the doubt under 38 U.S.C. § 5107.
      120 of 500 sample sentences
    2. 21% VA or private examiner nexus opinion noted as at least as likely as not
      A VA or private medical examiner opined that a claimed condition was at least as likely as not incurred in, caused by, or related to military service or a service-connected disability.
      107 of 500 sample sentences
    3. 20% Evidence found in equipoise supporting grant
      The Board found the lay and medical evidence at least in relative equipoise on a material issue and resolved doubt in the Veteran's favor to grant the benefit sought.
      98 of 500 sample sentences
    4. 16% Preponderance of evidence against claim, benefit of doubt inapplicable
      The Board found that the preponderance of evidence weighed against the claim, rendering the benefit of the doubt doctrine inapplicable and requiring denial.
      80 of 500 sample sentences
    5. 7% Chronic bronchitis nexus to service or toxic exposure found
      The Board or an examiner specifically found chronic bronchitis at least as likely as not related to active service, in-service bronchitis, toxic environmental exposure, or in-service smoking.
      35 of 500 sample sentences
    6. 6% Benefit of the doubt applied to assign specific disability rating
      Affording the Veteran the benefit of the doubt, the Board assigned or confirmed a specific schedular disability rating percentage for a service-connected condition.
      28 of 500 sample sentences
    7. 4% Secondary service connection nexus opinion recorded
      A medical examiner or the Board found a non-service-connected condition at least as likely as not proximately caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability.
      20 of 500 sample sentences
    8. 2% Pulmonary function test results cited to support rating level
      Objective pulmonary function test findings, including FEV-1, FVC ratios, or DLCO percentages, were recorded as supporting a specific disability rating percentage for a respiratory condition.
      12 of 500 sample sentences
    View the full DC 6600 pageSearch BVA decisions for this codeAbout DBQ forms

    Disclaimer: This page reproduces public Department of Veterans Affairs forms (DBQs) and verbatim text from 38 CFR Part 4 (the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities). It is informational only and is not legal or medical advice. For guidance on a specific claim, contact a VA-accredited representative.