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All rating criteria

How the VA Rates GERD

The plain-English version of the 38 CFR Part 4, DC 7206 (esophageal stricture criteria; GERD rated here for claims filed on/after 2024-05-19). Isolated hiatal hernia without GERD remains DC 7346. criteria a VA rater evaluates GERD against, with the 2026 monthly rate at each level. A reference to what the regulation describes — never a prediction of any rating.

Diagnostic code 7206

The rating levels

Criteria paraphrased from 38 CFR Part 4, DC 7206 (esophageal stricture criteria; GERD rated here for claims filed on/after 2024-05-19). Isolated hiatal hernia without GERD remains DC 7346. for readability. Monthly amounts are the 2026 rate (effective December 1, 2025) for a veteran with no dependents if this were the only rated condition — dependents add more, and multiple conditions combine under the VA’s own math.

10%

$180.42/month

Documented history of esophageal stricture(s) requiring daily medication (e.g., a proton-pump inhibitor) to control dysphagia. NOTE: current DC 7206 EXPRESSLY contemplates medication at this level, so the ameliorative-effect rule of Jones v. Shinseki does NOT apply to reach a higher GERD evaluation.

Examples from this level’s criteria

  • Esophageal stricture documented by barium swallow, CT, or EGD
  • Requires daily medication to control difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

30%

$552.47/month

Documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture(s) causing dysphagia that requires dilatation no more than 2 times per year.

Examples from this level’s criteria

  • Recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture causing dysphagia
  • Esophageal dilatation required up to 2 times per year

50%

$1,132.90/month

Documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture(s) causing dysphagia that requires dilatation 3 or more times per year, dilatation using steroids at least once per year, or esophageal stent placement.

Examples from this level’s criteria

  • Dilatation required 3 or more times per year
  • Steroid dilatation at least once per year, or esophageal stent placement

80%

$2,102.15/month

Documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture(s) causing dysphagia with at least one of aspiration, undernutrition, or substantial weight loss (involuntary loss greater than 20% of baseline sustained for three months, per § 4.112), AND treatment with either surgical correction or a percutaneous esophago-gastrointestinal (PEG) tube.

Examples from this level’s criteria

  • Aspiration, undernutrition, or substantial weight loss (>20% of baseline per § 4.112)
  • Surgical correction or PEG tube

The listed symptoms are examples that appear in each level’s criteria — not a checklist that earns a percentage. Raters apply the criteria as a whole.

The evidence that matters most

EGD/barium-swallow documenting an esophageal STRICTURE (not reflux esophagitis alone) + dilatation history; without a stricture the schedular ceiling is ~10% and extraschedular (§3.321(b)(1)) is the realistic path above the current level. (GERD = DC 7206 since 2024-05-19; isolated hiatal hernia without GERD remains DC 7346.)

C&P exam tips for GERD

  • The rating axis is a documented esophageal STRICTURE — bring the barium swallow, CT, or EGD that shows one (LA-grade esophagitis alone is not a stricture). Without a stricture, no compensable schedular level above the current rating is reached.
  • Document dilatation history and frequency (how many per year, any steroid dilatation, any stent) — that is what moves 30% → 50%.
  • Record any aspiration, undernutrition, or substantial weight loss (>20% of baseline sustained three months) and any surgical correction or PEG tube — the 80% findings.
  • If reflux is symptomatic but there is NO stricture, ask about extraschedular referral (§ 3.321(b)(1)) for marked interference with employment — the realistic path above the current level.

Common mistakes on GERD claims

  • Arguing the repealed DC 7346 symptom checklist (daily heartburn/regurgitation + substernal/arm/shoulder pain) — that criteria set no longer controls; 7206 turns on stricture, dilatation, and nutritional findings.
  • Citing DC 7346 for a GERD claim filed on/after 2024-05-19 (a denial-on-its-face defect) — 7346 now covers isolated hiatal hernia only.
  • Relying on the medication-masking (Jones v. Shinseki) argument — current 7206 expressly contemplates medication, so Jones does not manufacture a higher GERD evaluation.
  • Leaning on modest weight loss — e.g., 12 lb is not 'substantial'; § 4.112 requires involuntary loss greater than 20% of baseline sustained three months.

Frequently asked questions

What diagnostic code does the VA use for GERD?

GERD is rated under 38 CFR Part 4, DC 7206 (esophageal stricture criteria; GERD rated here for claims filed on/after 2024-05-19). Isolated hiatal hernia without GERD remains DC 7346. — diagnostic code 7206.

What is the highest schedular VA rating for GERD?

80% is the highest level in the rating schedule for GERD. The criteria at that level describe: Documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture(s) causing dysphagia with at least one of aspiration, undernutrition, or substantial weight loss (involuntary loss greater than 20% of baseline sustained for three months, per § 4.112), AND treatment with either surgical correction or a percutaneous esophago-gastrointestinal (PEG) tube.

How much does a 80% VA rating for GERD pay in 2026?

$2,102.15 per month, tax-free, for a veteran with no dependents (rates effective December 1, 2025) — more with a spouse, children, or dependent parents. If you have other rated conditions, the VA combines ratings using its own math rather than adding them.

Can GERD be claimed as a secondary condition?

Yes — veterans commonly file GERD secondary to PTSD / Mental Health, Asthma under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310. What carries a secondary claim is a medical nexus opinion connecting it to the service-connected condition.

Related tools & guides

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Educational information about the rating schedule — not legal or medical advice, never a prediction or promise of any rating, and not affiliated with the VA.