This guide covers how the VA actually rates sleep apnea under diagnostic code 6847 — the criteria the rater applies, the evidence that carries weight, and the related conditions veterans most often leave unclaimed. It's the same playbook our own case managers work from.
How the VA rates it
50% = CPAP prescribed · 30% = persistent daytime hypersomnolence · 100% = chronic respiratory failure / cor pulmonale / tracheostomy. (VA has PROPOSED revising toward treatment effectiveness — never promise 50%.)
Honest ceiling: 50% once a CPAP is prescribed.
The evidence that wins
Service connection: In-service witnesses to snoring/apnea, OR a secondary anchor condition.
Medical opinion (nexus): Nexus letter REQUIRED for any secondary theory.
Filing it right the first time
Most denials on sleep apnea claims trace to the same failures: the evidence never addressed the actual rating criteria, the connection to service was asserted instead of supported, or the C&P exam went sideways because nobody prepared for it. A complete file — records, statements written to the criteria above, and honest exam preparation — is the difference.
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