Is Sleep Apnea a VA Disability? (2025 Update)

The short answer is - Yes! Sleep apnea has been a VA ratable disability since the 1990s. However policies have evolved over time. In 2025 it evaluated under Diagnostic Code 6847 in the respiratory schedule. Disability ratings are 0%, 30%, 50%, or a maximum of 100% in severe cases. Factors that will impact your individual rating include whether you require a breathing assistance device (i.e. CPAP). More on that later.

This highlights that sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder that it actually affects a significant number of veterans. According to a study conduct on this topic in 2024 "SBD is common among Veterans and up to 22% of all Veterans suffer from it (Source). This compare to only 9% among the civilian population. 

Sleep apnea, a condition characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, can lead to severe health complications, including chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale. 

In this article we outline the current VA rating criteria, break down the rating scale, explain how ex-servicemen can file claim, and show you how to receive Veteran disability benefits without a 100% rating for a documented snoring-related sleep disorder.

VA raters are looking for proof that 

(1) you have sleep apnea

(2) it’s linked to your service (directly or secondarily)

(3) it impacts your daily function in ways that match a rating level. 

Follow our specific step-by-step guidance below to qualify for disability payments.

A formal sleep study is the foundation of your claim. Without it, the rest of your evidence has a hard time landing.

What to include:

• The type of apnea (obstructive, central, or mixed).

• Severity metrics : Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI), oxygen nadir (lowest O₂), and whether events cluster in REM or supine sleep.

• Date of study and who ordered/interpreted it (VA vs. community care).

• Any treatment recommendations (CPAP/BiPAP, oral appliance, weight loss program, surgery, positional therapy).

Pro tip: If your first test was years ago, ask your clinician whether an updated study or compliance download would better reflect your current symptoms.

If you were prescribed a device, the prescription and follow-up notes show medical necessity. If you can’t tolerate CPAP , that also needs to be documented clearly.

Helpful details to capture:

• The exact device (CPAP, BiPAP, APAP) and pressure settings .

• Mask type (full-face, nasal, nasal pillows) and any changes.

• Tolerability issues (mask claustrophobia, PTSD trigger with straps, skin irritation, aerophagia, nasal dryness).

• What happened next: multiple mask tries, humidification, ramp features, desensitization exercises, or a referral to alternatives such as a mandibular advancement device (oral appliance) , positional therapy, weight-management program, or ENT evaluation.

If CPAP isn’t working: Ask your provider to write a note that says why it’s intolerable or ineffective and what alternative therapy is medically appropriate. That paper trail matters.

A nexus letter connects your apnea to service. It can be the difference between “denied” and “granted.”

What strong letters say:

• The opinion uses VA language: “at least as likely as not (≥50% probability)” .

• It names the exact route: direct , secondary , or aggravation (made worse by a service-connected condition).

• It explains the mechanism (e.g., “PTSD-related hyperarousal and medication-associated weight gain increased upper-airway collapsibility,” or “chronic nasal obstruction from in-service trauma contributes to mouth-breathing and snoring/apneas”).

• It references records: service treatment notes, post-deployment evaluations, buddy statements, medication lists, weight/BMI trends, and sleep-study data.

Raters want to see what happened after diagnosis: did treatment help, was it realistic for you, and how does that map to rating criteria?

What to gather:

• Download reports from your device (usage hours, % nights ≥4 hours, leak rates, residual AHI, pressure settings).

• DME supplier notes showing mask trials, fitting issues, or equipment delays/recalls.

• Clinic notes that document ineffectiveness (residual symptoms despite use) or intolerance (why CPAP can’t be used despite good-faith attempts).

• If you switched to an oral appliance , keep the prescription , fit/adjustment notes , and any follow-up sleep study or oximetry showing benefit (or lack thereof).

If your data aren’t perfect: Don’t hide it— explain it . PTSD-triggered mask intolerance, facial injuries, chronic sinusitis, or night-shift schedules are legitimate barriers. Ask your clinician to put those reasons in the chart.

Your spouse, partner, roommate, or military buddy can describe what they saw and when they first saw it. These letters translate dry metrics into real life.

Coach them to include:

• Timeline: “I first noticed loud snoring and gasping in 2009 while we shared a barracks room at [base].”

• Specifics: choking, pauses in breathing, jolting awake, morning headaches, naps after work, irritability.

• Frequency/severity: nightly vs. occasional; how often you stop breathing; how loud; safety issues (nodding off driving).

• Consistency: symptoms during service or soon after discharge help show continuity.

Describe how daytime sleepiness and cognitive fog actually affect your work and safety. This is crucial for both rating level and any TDIU consideration.

Make a one-page summary that covers:

• Job demands: driving, operating machinery, weapons handling, night shifts, detailed admin work, patient care, etc.

• Concrete examples : near-miss crashes, errors, write-ups, slowed reaction time, performance counseling, needing to pull over to nap, calling in sick due to exhaustion.

• Accommodations tried: schedule changes, nap breaks, lighter duties and whether they helped.

Compile all your carefully collected data in one file, with clear labeling and a table of contents. Make sure to provide a clear outline that summarizes the evolution of your sleeping condition and lists out all the evidence you have collected to back up your claim, as well as treatments that you have or are already obtain (which start and end dates).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Relying on symptoms without a documented diagnosis.

• Submitting a nexus letter that says “related to service” but doesn’t explain why.

• Hiding CPAP intolerance instead of documenting it.

• Buddy letters that just say “he snores” with no dates or details .

• No functional-impact description—leaving raters to guess how bad your day really is.