Sleep Apnea: VA Ratings and Secondary Conditions for Maximum Benefits
Changes are on the horizon for VA disability for sleep apnea. Currently, the possible disability ratings for sleep apnea are 0%, 30%, 50% and 100%. But the VA has proposed changes that could mean lower VA disability ratings for many veterans. That means ensuring that you’ve claimed all service-connected and secondary conditions will be all the more important.
The Sleep Apnea VA Rating Schedule
Current Sleep Apnea VA Disability Rating System
Currently, VA disability ratings for sleep apnea are assigned as follows:
- 0% disability rating if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea but are not experiencing symptoms
- 30% disability rating if you suffer from persistent daytime hypersomnolence–excessive sleepiness–because of sleep apnea
- 50% disability rating if your sleep apnea requires use of a CPAP machine or similar device
- 100% disability rating if you suffer from chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or you require tracheostomy
However, changes have been proposed and could take effect in 2025. Under the new sleep apnea VA rating system, a 10% rating would be added and the 30% rating would be eliminated. The 50% rating and 100% rating would remain, but the standard for receiving each of those ratings would be dramatically different. Here’s what the new schedule would look like:
- 0% disability rating if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea but are not experiencing symptoms
- 10% disability rating if treatment for sleep apnea offered “incomplete relief”
- 50% disability rating only if treatment was ineffective or you are unable to undergo treatment due to comorbidities
- 100% disability rating only if you meet the criteria for the 50% rating and also suffer organ damage
Obviously, if these changes are implemented, many veterans pursuing VA disability for sleep apnea would receive substantially lower benefits than they would under the current system.
However, many additional medical conditions have been linked to sleep apnea, either as secondary conditions to sleep apnea or underlying conditions that can cause sleep apnea.
Conditions Linked to Sleep Apnea
If you’ve been diagnosed with any of these conditions, they may be linked to your service-connected sleep apnea. If you have not been diagnosed but believe you may be suffering from one of these conditions, you should speak with your doctor about testing or other diagnostic procedures.
As you will see from the example below the listing of conditions, one or more secondary conditions can make a big difference in your rating and your VA disability benefits you receive.
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Hypertension
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Migraine
- Obesity with or without diabetes
- Sinusitis
- Rhinitis
- Cardiac problems
- GERD
Of course, this is only a partial list of conditions that may be linked to sleep apnea. You should be sure to report any symptoms or other medical problems to your physician and understand what diseases, injuries, or conditions are causing those symptoms. An experienced VA disability benefits advocate can explain what is necessary to establish secondary conditions connected to your service and what type of medical evidence you need to support the maximum available VA disability rating.
How Secondary Conditions Can Increase VA Disability for Sleep Apnea
Many–perhaps most–VA disability ratings are based on more than one service-connected and/or secondary conditions. Those additional conditions can make a big difference in the overall disability rating, which in turn can make a big difference in the VA disability benefits available.
For example, in 2025 a veteran with a 30% VA disability rating for sleep apnea would receive $537.42/month in monetary disability benefits and VA healthcare for the service-connected condition.
If that veteran has migraines secondary to the sleep apnea and qualifies for a separate 30% disability rating for that condition, the VA will combine the disability ratings. They don’t simply add them together, though. Instead, the second rating is applied to the percentage that’s left over after the first rating.
In this case, the sleep apnea rating was 30%, so the VA has 70% left to work with. The 30% migraine rating is applied to the remaining 70% (.30 x .70) to get 21%. Disability ratings are only assigned in increments of 10, so that would be rounded to 20%, and the 20% added to the original 30% rating. At the combined 50% rating, the veteran’s monthly monetary benefits would jump to $1,102.04 and the veteran would receive broader healthcare through the VA.
As you can see, a secondary condition or additional service-connected condition can have a big impact. And, many veterans have more than one additional condition. Though the impact on the overall disability rating gets smaller as the non-disabled percentage drops, small differences in ratings make a bigger difference at the higher end of the spectrum. For instance, a veteran with a 100% VA disability rating receives $1,533.34 more in monthly monetary benefits than a veteran with a 90% rating.
Get Help Seeking VA Disability for Sleep Apnea
Any VA disability claim can be complicated. If you’re considering filing a claim for disability benefits for sleep apnea, it’s important to understand the probable changes to the VA disability rating schedule for sleep apnea. You’ll also want to explore which of your other medical conditions may be service connected or secondarily-connected to sleep apnea.
While secondary conditions can boost your rating and increase your benefits, it is your responsibility to establish the connection between sleep apnea and any other condition you are claiming as secondary to sleep apnea. And, you’ll need thorough medical documentation of each condition you’re claiming benefits for and the severity of your symptoms. For some conditions, specific testing is required.
At Veterans Help Group, our seasoned advocates have developed an in-depth knowledge of the VA disability claims and appeals processes so you don’t have to. To learn more about how we can help you prepare the strongest claim or appeal possible, call us at 855-855-8992 or fill out our contact form here. If your claim involves sleep apnea, you should reach out as soon as possible, as the timing of your claim could impact your disability rating and benefits.
