C&P Exam Prep Guide for Bulimia nervosa (DC 9521)

Read the C&P exam preparation guideWhat happens at the exam, what 38 CFR Part 4 requires the examiner to record, and what to bring.
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Diagnostic code: 9521Condition: Bulimia nervosaRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.130DBQ: DBQ PSYCH Eating Disorders

YOUR EXAM BLUEPRINT

Bulimia nervosa

Review the DBQ, the examination focus, functional impact, and the evidence supporting the 38 CFR Part 4 rating criteria for DC 9521.

DC 9521

DBQ used for this condition

What the examination is likely to focus on

No condition-specific items are currently available.

Functional-impact topics to describe

No condition-specific items are currently available.

This blueprint is preparation guidance, not a prediction of the examination or claim outcome.RateMyVSO.net

Which form the examiner uses

For bulimia nervosa (DC 9521), 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 (full DBQ form)

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 eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

DIAGNOSIS (Section I)
  • 1A. DOES THE VETERAN NOW HAVE OR HAS HE OR SHE EVER BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AN EATING DISORDER(S)? YES NO (If "Yes," check all diagnoses that apply): BULIMIA DATE OF DIAGNOSIS: ICD CODE: NAME OF DIAGNOSING FACILITY OR CLINICIAN: ANOREXIA
MEDICAL HISTORY (Section II)
  • 2A. DESCRIBE THE HISTORY (including onset and course) OF THE VETERAN'S EATING DISORDER (brief summary):
FINDINGS (Section III)
  • NOTE - For VA purposes, an incapacitating episode is defined as a period during which bed rest and treatment by a physician are required. BINGE EATING FOLLOWED BY MEASURES TO PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN BINGE EATING FOLLOWED BY SELF-INDUCED VOMITING
OTHER SYMPTOMS (Section IV)
  • 4A. DOES THE VETERAN HAVE ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS ATTRIBUTABLE TO AN EATING DISORDER? YES NO (If "Yes," describe):
FUNCTIONAL IMPACT (Section V)
  • 5A. DOES THE VETERAN'S EATING DISORDER(S) IMPACT HIS OR HER ABILITY TO WORK? YES NO (If "Yes," describe impact, 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 9521

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.

Evidence cited in published BVA decisions for DC 9521

The counts below are aggregated from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code, among issues the Board granted or denied (remanded issues are not included). Each row reports how often a given evidence type was discussed in the decision text, broken down by outcome. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not a prediction or recommendation about any specific claim.

  • Service treatment records: appeared in 22 granted decisions (75 denied; 97 decided total)
  • Buddy / lay statements: appeared in 14 granted decisions (47 denied; 61 decided total)
  • Medical literature: appeared in 4 granted decisions (3 denied; 7 decided total)

When the Board found the exam inadequate (DC 9521)

In 47 published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions involving this condition, the Board found a C&P examination or medical opinion inadequate. Where the defect could be read from the decision, it was most often one of the following (counts are a floor from the decisions on file, not a total):

  1. 12 Failed to address a contention or part of the condition
  2. 11 Conclusion given without a supporting rationale
  3. 11 Veteran's lay statements not considered
  4. 5 Opinion relied on the absence of records instead of the evidence

An inadequate exam is usually sent back for a new one rather than decided against the veteran. This is a factual report of published decisions, not advice about any exam or claim; whether an exam is adequate is decided case by case.

View the full DC 9521 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.