Emphysema, pulmonary DC 6603
VA rates it under diagnostic code 6603 in 38 CFR 4.97. Body system: Breathing & sleep.
Also searched as: emphysema.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 4 rating levels for this code: 10%, 30%, 60%, and 100%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
Source: 38 CFR 4.97 on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 100% | FEV-1 less than 40 percent of predicted value, or; the ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume in one second to Forced Vital Capacity (FEV-1/FVC) less than 40 percent, or; Diffusion Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide by the Single Breath Method (DLCO (SB)) less than 40-percent predicted, or; maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption (with cardiac or respiratory limitation), or; cor pulmonale (right heart failure), or; right ventricular hypertrophy, or; pulmonary hypertension (shown by Echo or cardiac catheterization), or; episode(s) of acute respiratory failure, or; requires outpatient oxygen therapy. |
| 60% | FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, or; DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; maximum oxygen consumption of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min (with cardiorespiratory limit) |
| 30% | FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; DLCO (SB) 56- to 65-percent predicted |
| 10% | FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80 percent, or; DLCO (SB) 66- to 80-percent predicted |
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.97, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
Presumptive rules that include it
If your service matches one of these, VA presumes the link to service and you do not need a medical opinion connecting it.
Burn pits and airborne hazards (PACT Act)
Covered: Emphysema.
Who qualifies: Active duty on or after August 2, 1990 in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the United Arab Emirates, the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, or the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia; or on or after September 11, 2001 in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, or Yemen. The airspace above these places counts. Conditions can start any time after service.
38 CFR 3.320 and 38 U.S.C. 1119-1120. Sources: 38 CFR 3.320; VA.gov: Exposure to burn pits and other specific environmental hazards; VA.gov: Presumptive cancers related to burn pit exposure; VA.gov: The PACT Act and your VA benefits
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Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
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