VA rating guide · Respiratory
Sleep Apnea VA Rating & Secondary to PTSD
Sleep apnea is one of the most valuable VA ratings for many veterans: needing a CPAP machine is rated 50%. The hard part is proving the connection to service. Here’s how it works.
- Exact VA criteria
- Why CPAP = 50%
- Direct vs. secondary
- Sleep study requirement
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Sleep Apnea Rating Criteria
Obstructive, central and mixed sleep apnea are all rated under diagnostic code 6847. 2026 pay shown for a veteran with no dependents.
You Need a Sleep Study
The VA requires sleep apnea to be diagnosed with a sleep study (polysomnography or an accepted home sleep test). A doctor’s note saying you snore or seem tired isn’t enough. If you haven’t had a sleep study, that’s the first step, through the VA or a private provider.
If a CPAP or other breathing device is prescribed, make sure the prescription is documented in your records. That’s what supports the 50% rating.
Three Ways to Service-Connect Sleep Apnea
1. Direct service connection
If you were diagnosed in service, or your records show symptoms like loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, or daytime fatigue, you may be able to connect it directly. Statements from people who shared quarters with you can help when your records are thin.
2. Secondary to PTSD or another mental health condition
Many veterans claim sleep apnea secondary to PTSD. The medical evidence on this link is debated, so these claims usually depend on a strong, well-reasoned medical opinion that addresses your history specifically.
3. Weight gain as an “intermediate step”
Obesity isn’t a disability on its own, but the VA recognizes it can be an intermediate step. If a service-connected condition (or its medication) caused weight gain, and that weight gain caused or worsened your sleep apnea, it may be service-connected on a secondary basis. A medical opinion needs to address both links.
Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans
Sleep apnea itself isn’t a PACT Act presumptive condition, but chronic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are. Some veterans pursue sleep apnea secondary to those presumptive conditions. See our PACT Act guide.
Sleep Apnea VA Rating: Common Questions
Does using a CPAP automatically get 50%?
If sleep apnea is service-connected and you require a breathing assistance device like a CPAP, the current criteria call for a 50% rating. The CPAP has to be prescribed and documented in your medical records.
Is sleep apnea secondary to PTSD hard to win?
It can be. The medical research on the connection is mixed, so these claims depend heavily on a detailed medical opinion that explains how PTSD caused or worsened your sleep apnea in your specific case.
Is sleep apnea a PACT Act presumptive condition?
No. However, chronic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are presumptive for many Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans, and some veterans claim sleep apnea secondary to those conditions.
Will the VA change sleep apnea ratings?
The VA has proposed new criteria that would rate sleep apnea based on how well treatment works. As of October 2026 those changes have not taken effect, and the current criteria still apply.
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