VASRD 7326 · Digestive System
Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) VA Disability Rating
Crohn's disease is chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. DC 7326 covers Crohn's disease and the undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease, and the schedule's index also lists chronic enterocolitis under this code. Note (3) allows the inflammation to involve the small bowel (ileitis), the large bowel (colitis), or any component of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. The percentage follows how the disease is being managed — oral or topical agents, immunosuppressants or biologic agents, or treatment it no longer responds to — together with daily diarrhea episodes, recurrent abdominal pain, and signs of toxicity such as fever, tachycardia, or anemia.
VA Rating Tiers
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 100% | Severe IBD not controlled by treatment, with yearly hospital stays or inability to work. |
| 60% | Moderate IBD needing biologics or immunosuppressants, with 4-5 bouts of diarrhea a day. |
| 30% | Mild to moderate IBD on oral or topical medicine, with up to 3 bouts of diarrhea a day. |
| 10% | Minimal to mild IBD on oral or topical medicine, with no signs of body-wide illness. |
How the VA Evaluates Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis)
The four evaluations are separated by the level of treatment the disease requires and by what it still does despite that treatment. 10 percent is "minimal to mild symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease that is managed with oral or topical agents (other than immunosuppressants or other biologic agents)", with recurrent abdominal pain, three or less daily episodes of diarrhea, and no signs of systemic toxicity. 30 percent is mild to moderate disease managed with oral and topical agents, again with three or less daily episodes of diarrhea, but with "minimal signs of toxicity such as fever, tachycardia, or anemia". 60 percent requires moderate disease "managed on an outpatient basis with immunosuppressants or other biologic agents", with recurrent abdominal pain, four to five daily episodes of diarrhea, and intermittent signs of toxicity. 100 percent requires severe disease "unresponsive to treatment" and "hospitalization at least once per year", resulting in either an inability to work or recurrent abdominal pain with at least two of: six or more episodes per day of diarrhea, six or more episodes per day of rectal bleeding, recurrent episodes of rectal incontinence, or recurrent abdominal distension. Note (2) requires diagnoses under this code to be confirmed by endoscopy or radiologic studies. Note (1) directs that following colectomy or colostomy with persistent or recurrent symptoms, VA rates under either DC 7326 or DC 7329 (Intestine, large, resection of), "whichever provides the highest rating". Ulcerative colitis (DC 7323) is rated on this same ladder.
Veterans service-connected
~1,000 veterans
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule — not official VA statistics.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •Endoscopy or radiologic study results confirming the diagnosis, which Note (2) requires.
- •Gastroenterology notes naming the current treatment by class — oral, topical, immunosuppressant, or biologic — since the tiers are drawn on that line.
- •Treatment records carrying daily counts of diarrhea episodes, and of rectal bleeding episodes where they occur.
- •Findings of fever, tachycardia, or anemia, the signs of toxicity the 30 and 60 percent levels name.
- •Hospital admission records for any inpatient stay for the disease.
- •Operative and pathology records for any colectomy or colostomy, which Note (1) makes relevant to a DC 7329 comparison.
Strategy Tips
- •Have the endoscopy or radiologic study in the file. Note (2) makes confirmation by one of them a requirement for a diagnosis under this code.
- •The medication class needs to be explicit in the treatment notes: it is one of the elements separating the 30 percent level, which describes management with oral and topical agents, from the 60 percent level, which describes management with immunosuppressants or other biologic agents.
- •Daily episode counts belong in the treatment record rather than a description such as "frequent", because the criteria step at three or less, four to five, and six or more episodes per day.
- •After a colectomy or colostomy with persistent or recurrent symptoms, Note (1) calls for a comparison with DC 7329 (Intestine, large, resection of), and the higher of the two evaluations applies.
- •Keep inpatient records, since hospitalization at least once per year is a required element of the 100 percent evaluation.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •A diagnosis that has never been confirmed by endoscopy or radiologic studies, which Note (2) requires for this code.
- •Notes that give the drug name but not whether it is an immunosuppressant or biologic agent, leaving the 30-to-60 percent line unanswerable from the record.
- •Flares managed at home or by phone that produced no note, so the file holds no episode counts for that period.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Filing under "chronic enterocolitis" alone without the Crohn's disease or inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis, when the index puts chronic enterocolitis under this same code.
- •Leaving hospital records out, since hospitalization at least once per year is a required element of the 100 percent evaluation.
- •Not raising Note (1) after a colectomy or colostomy with persistent or recurrent symptoms, where DC 7329 may provide the higher rating.
Onset Patterns
- •Note (3) places the inflammation anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus — small bowel (ileitis), large bowel (colitis), or any other component — so it is not confined to one segment of bowel.
- •The schedule's index lists chronic enterocolitis under DC 7326, so a record that uses that term falls under this code.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis). Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Malabsorption
Damaged gut lining
Fatigue
Poor nutrient intake
Common questions about Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis)
- Is Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) under VASRD diagnostic code 7326 (Digestive System). Crohn's disease is chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. DC 7326 covers Crohn's disease and the undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease, and the schedule's in…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis)?
- Possible VA ratings for Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) are 100%, 60%, 30%, 10%. Examples: 100%: Severe IBD not controlled by treatment, with yearly hospital stays or inability to work.; 60%: Moderate IBD needing biologics or immunosuppressants, with 4-5 bouts of diarrhea a day.;…
- What evidence helps prove Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) claim includes: Endoscopy or radiologic study results confirming the diagnosis, which Note (2) requires.; Gastroenterology notes naming the current treatment by class — oral, topical, immunosuppressant, or biologic — since the…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis)?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis): Filing under "chronic enterocolitis" alone without the Crohn's disease or inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis, when the index puts chronic enterocolitis under this same code.; Leaving hospital records out, since ho…
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis)?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Crohn's Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic Enterocolitis) include: Malabsorption, Fatigue. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.114 — Schedule of ratings — digestive system (Diagnostic Code 7326)
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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