YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Chronic Bronchitis VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Chronic Bronchitis under diagnostic code 6600, in 38 CFR § 4.97 (respiratory system), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Chronic Bronchitis
Inflammation of the bronchial tubes causing persistent cough and mucus production.
Rated on pulmonary function tests (FEV-1, FEV-1/FVC and DLCO) or maximum exercise capacity, or at 100 percent on cor pulmonale, right ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary hypertension, acute respiratory failure or outpatient oxygen therapy. Under 38 CFR 4.96(d), those 100 percent findings make pulmonary function tests unnecessary, and a missing DLCO is accepted when the examiner explains why it was not done.
- Diagnostic code
- 6600
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.97
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Chronic Bronchitis VA rating criteria (DC 6600)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Chronic Bronchitis claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Chronic Bronchitis?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Chronic Bronchitis claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim3 tips
- 01
Get a full PFT and document all symptoms
- 02
Tie condition to environmental exposure if possible
- 03
Include treatment logs and C&P exam notes
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind3 tips
- 01
Improper PFT technique skewing FEV-1 scores
- 02
No continuous documentation of chronicity
- 03
Attributing symptoms to smoking without considering service exposure
Common filing mistakes3 tips
- 01
No PFT included in evidence
- 02
Omitting service-related exposure history
- 03
Claiming as acute bronchitis instead of chronic
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
Starts with persistent cough, often worsens seasonally
- 02
May follow frequent respiratory infections or exposures
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Chronic Bronchitis
More by branch: Army · Marines · Air Force · Navy · Coast Guard · Space Force
THE BROADER PICTURE
Chronic Bronchitis by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – higher if linked to exposure like burn pits or smoking.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~8,200 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~30%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Chronic Bronchitis
Is Chronic Bronchitis a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Chronic Bronchitis under VASRD diagnostic code 6600 (Respiratory System). Inflammation of the bronchial tubes causing persistent cough and mucus production.
What VA disability rating can I get for Chronic Bronchitis?
Possible VA ratings for Chronic Bronchitis are 100%, 60%, 30%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 100%: FEV-1 less than 40 percent of predicted value, or; the ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume in one second to Forced Vital Capacity (FEV-1/FVC) less than 40 percent, 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 cardiac or respiratory limitation), or; cor pulmonale (right heart failure), or; right ventricular hypertrophy, or; pulmonary hypertension (shown by Echo or cardiac catheterization), or; episode(s) of acute respiratory failure, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy; 60%: FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; maximum oxygen consumption of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min (with cardiorespiratory limit); 30%: FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; DLCO (SB) 56- to 65-percent predicted.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Chronic Bronchitis?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Chronic Bronchitis at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 8,200 veterans are service-connected for Chronic Bronchitis. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – higher if linked to exposure like burn pits or smoking.
What evidence helps prove Chronic Bronchitis for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Chronic Bronchitis claim includes: VA or private pulmonologist diagnosis; Pulmonary function test results; C&P exam with respiratory symptoms documented; Treatment history with inhalers or steroids.
Which DBQ is used for Chronic Bronchitis?
VA's Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea) Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Chronic Bronchitis?
Common pitfalls when filing for Chronic Bronchitis: No PFT included in evidence; Omitting service-related exposure history; Claiming as acute bronchitis instead of chronic.
Is Chronic Bronchitis a presumptive condition for VA benefits?
Yes, for a veteran who meets a presumption's conditions. 38 U.S.C. 1120(b) names "Chronic bronchitis" for a covered veteran: one who, on or after August 2, 1990, was assigned to a duty station in, or in the airspace above, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia or the United Arab Emirates, or, on or after September 11, 2001, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen or Uzbekistan (38 U.S.C. 1119(c)). Each presumption gives way to affirmative evidence to the contrary (38 U.S.C. 1113).
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.97, Schedule of ratings, respiratory system (Diagnostic Code 6600)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 U.S.C. 1120(b), presumptive service connection
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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