GERD is one of the most claimed digestive conditions in the VA system, and in May 2024 the way it's rated changed in a big way. Here's how the GERD VA rating is built today under Diagnostic Code 7206, why the new criteria are stricter than the old ones, and what that means if you're preparing a claim.
Here's the fact that trips up most veterans right now: the GERD VA rating no longer works the way the old guides describe it. As of May 19, 2024, VA moved GERD to its own Diagnostic Code, 7206, and rebuilt the criteria around esophageal strictures and difficulty swallowing rather than around heartburn and acid reflux. That single shift changes what evidence matters, so if your understanding of GERD ratings is more than a year old, it's worth resetting. We'll walk through the new schedule plainly.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease, sometimes called acid reflux) is now rated under Diagnostic Code 7206 in the digestive section of VA's rating schedule. There are five breakpoints, and the higher ones turn heavily on esophageal strictures — a narrowing of the esophagus that makes swallowing difficult:
| Rating | Current criteria (Diagnostic Code 7206) |
|---|---|
| 0% | Documented GERD diagnosis, without daily symptoms and without a need for daily medication. |
| 10% | Requires daily medication to control dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), but is otherwise asymptomatic. |
| 30% | Recurrent esophageal stricture causing dysphagia, requiring dilatation no more than twice per year. |
| 50% | Recurrent or refractory stricture causing dysphagia, requiring at least one of: dilatation three or more times per year, dilatation using steroids at least once per year, or esophageal stent placement. |
| 80% | Recurrent or refractory stricture causing dysphagia with aspiration, undernutrition, or substantial weight loss, plus a PEG feeding tube or surgery to address the stricture. |
Two things jump out. The maximum rating rose from the old 60% ceiling to 80%, which sounds like good news. But almost everything above 10% now requires a documented esophageal stricture and procedures like dilatation — not just the heartburn, regurgitation, and sleep disruption that most veterans actually live with. That combination is why practitioners often call the change a double-edged sword.
Before May 19, 2024, GERD didn't have its own code at all. It was rated by analogy to Hiatal Hernia (Diagnostic Code 7346) at 10%, 30%, or 60%, based on a cluster of symptoms — pain, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, and the overall impact on health. A veteran with persistent heartburn, regurgitation, and disrupted sleep could reach 30% under that older, symptom-based standard.
The new Code 7206 is narrower. Except at the 10% level, it is built around objective stricture findings and the treatments they require. A veteran with severe daily reflux but no diagnosed stricture may find that the new schedule offers a lower rating than the old hiatal-hernia approach would have. That's the "stricter" half of the change. The "better" half is the new 80% ceiling for the most serious esophageal disease. Both are true at once, which is exactly why it pays to understand which standard applies to your claim.
Because the higher levels depend on strictures, documentation is everything. Under Code 7206, an esophageal stricture generally needs to be established by objective testing — a barium swallow, a CT scan, or an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). C&P examiners typically won't order those tests for you; they work from what's already in your claims file. That means the medical records showing your diagnosis, any strictures, and any dilatation or stent procedures need to be in front of the rater before the exam, not after.
The exam itself is usually documented on the Esophageal Conditions questionnaire, which asks specifically about daily symptoms, medications, difficulty swallowing, recurrent strictures, dilatation, steroid use, stent placement, aspiration, weight loss, surgery, and feeding tubes. Knowing those are the questions tells you what your file has to answer. If you want a fuller walk-through of getting records in order and preparing for the exam, our guide on C&P exam preparation and our complete evidence checklist lay out the standard we teach.
A large share of GERD claims aren't filed as standalone conditions — they're filed as secondary to something already service-connected. The medical literature commonly links GERD to certain mental health conditions, where anxiety or depression can worsen reflux, and GERD is frequently claimed alongside conditions treated with medications that irritate the stomach. A secondary claim generally needs three things: a current diagnosis of the GERD, an already service-connected primary condition, and a medical nexus opinion connecting the two.
The nexus is where most secondary GERD claims are won or lost. A rater can't infer the medical link for you — a qualified clinician has to explain why, in your case, the primary condition caused or aggravated the GERD. That's a medical judgment, and it's the piece most veterans underbuild. We cover the most common preparation errors in our guide to first-claim mistakes.
A GERD rating rarely lives alone on a decision. Because VA uses combined-ratings math rather than simple addition, a GERD percentage combines with your other conditions in a way that isn't intuitive — 30% plus 30% does not equal 60%. If you want to see how a GERD rating would actually move your combined rating and your monthly compensation, run the numbers with our VA disability calculator before you assume anything, and see the method itself in VA math explained.
What is the highest VA rating for GERD now?
Under Diagnostic Code 7206, GERD can be rated as high as 80%. That level applies to a recurrent or refractory stricture causing dysphagia with aspiration, undernutrition, or substantial weight loss, plus a feeding tube or surgery. It's higher than the old 60% ceiling, but far harder to meet.
Did the 2024 changes lower existing GERD ratings?
A schedule change doesn't automatically cut a rating you already hold. VA due-process rules generally protect an existing evaluation, and a reduction requires evidence of sustained improvement and proper notice. Only VA decides any rating or reduction.
Can I still get 10% for GERD with just daily medication?
Under Code 7206, the 10% level applies when GERD requires daily medication to control dysphagia but is otherwise asymptomatic. Whether your records meet that standard is a decision only VA can make from your file.
Our VA Disability Mastery course walks through evidence, records, secondary theories, and nexus letters the way we'd prep our own file. Or start free: find your gaps in 60 seconds with the readiness quiz.
See CoursesWhen your situation calls for individual help, use an accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney — VA's accreditation search lists every legitimate representative. Keep reading: Sleep apnea VA rating · What a complete claim file contains
Claims Academy