Under the current VA rating schedule, GERD is rated under diagnostic code 7206 at 0%, 10%, 30%, 50% or 80%. Every level from 30% up depends on a documented esophageal stricture, meaning a narrowing of the esophagus that makes swallowing difficult. The stricture has to be confirmed by a barium swallow, CT scan or endoscopy. How often it needs stretching (dilatation) decides the percentage [38 CFR 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7206].

That is a big change. Until May 19, 2024, VA rated GERD by analogy to hiatal hernia, based on symptoms such as heartburn, regurgitation and chest pain, with 10%, 30% and 60% levels. The new rules took symptoms out of the picture and replaced them with objective findings [VA Final Rule, Federal Register, 2024]. That’s why so many veterans are confused about where their claim now stands.

A quick note before we start: I write about reflux, not veterans’ law, and I’m not a VA-accredited representative. This page explains how the criteria work so you can follow your own claim. For advice on a specific claim, talk to an accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO), agent or attorney. You can find one free through VA’s accredited representative search.

Key Takeaways

GERD is rated under diagnostic code 7206 in 38 CFR 4.114, at 0%, 10%, 30%, 50% or 80%.
The current criteria took effect on May 19, 2024. They replaced the old symptom-based scale (10%, 30%, 60%) borrowed from hiatal hernia.
Ratings of 30% and above require a documented, recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture. The percentage depends on how many dilatations you need each year, steroid-assisted dilatation, a stent, surgery or a feeding tube.
The 10% level is tied to needing daily medication. The 0% level covers a documented condition with no daily symptoms and no daily medication.
There is no 40% or 60% rating for GERD under the current schedule.
Hiatal hernia (DC 7346) is now rated on the same stricture-based scale.
VA said existing ratings would not be cut because of the rewrite. A rating can only be reduced if your condition has actually improved.
Throat damage from silent reflux (LPR) isn’t rated under the digestive codes. Chronic laryngitis has its own code in the respiratory section.

What Is the VA Rating for GERD?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has its own diagnostic code, 7206, in the digestive system section of the rating schedule. Before 2024, GERD had no code of its own, so VA rated it “by analogy” to hiatal hernia. That loophole is gone. The current criteria are [38 CFR 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7206]:

80%: A documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture causing dysphagia (trouble swallowing), with at least one of aspiration, undernutrition or substantial weight loss, and treatment with either surgical correction of the stricture or a PEG feeding tube.
50%: A documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture causing dysphagia that requires at least one of: dilatation 3 or more times a year, dilatation using steroids at least once a year, or an esophageal stent.
30%: A documented history of recurrent esophageal stricture causing dysphagia that requires dilatation no more than 2 times a year.
10%: A documented history of esophageal stricture that requires daily medication to control dysphagia, and is otherwise asymptomatic.
0%: A documented history without daily symptoms or a need for daily medication.

The notes attached to the code matter as much as the percentages:

Proof: Findings must be documented by barium swallow, computerized tomography (CT) or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD, the standard upper endoscopy).
“Recurrent” stricture means the esophagus can’t stay at its target diameter for more than four weeks after being stretched to it.
“Refractory” stricture means the target diameter can’t be reached despite at least five dilatation sessions at two-week intervals.
Complications outside the gut, for example from a procedure, are rated under the relevant body system.

Why VA Changed the GERD Criteria in 2024

VA published the final rule on March 20, 2024, and it took effect on May 19, 2024 [VA Final Rule, Federal Register, 2024]. VA described the change as moving GERD “from evaluating GERD based on subjective symptoms to objective measurements.” It argued that esophageal stricture is “more often than not the result of under-treated, late-stage, or refractory GERD,” so the degree of stricture was the fairest measure of how much GERD affects your ability to function.

Here’s the problem with that logic from a reflux point of view. Strictures have become much less common since acid-suppressing drugs became widespread. In a UK primary-care database study, stricture incidence was about 1.1 per 10,000 person-years and fell between 1994 and 2000 as proton pump inhibitor use rose sharply. Most strictures that did occur were peptic, meaning caused by acid [Ruigómez et al., American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2006].

Put simply, most people with GERD today, including veterans with daily heartburn, regurgitation and disrupted sleep, will never develop a stricture. Their medication works well enough to prevent one. The new scale therefore pays the most for a complication that modern treatment usually stops, and very little for the day-to-day symptom burden. That’s the source of most of the frustration you’ll see on veterans’ forums.

The Old GERD Rating: 10%, 30% and 60%

If you were rated before May 2024, or you’re reading old forum threads, you’ll see the old hiatal hernia criteria (DC 7346) that GERD was rated against [Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision quoting DC 7346, 2018]:

60%: “symptoms of pain, vomiting, material weight loss, and hematemesis or melena with moderate anemia; or other symptom combinations productive of severe impairment of health.”
30%: “persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal or arm or shoulder pain, productive of considerable impairment of health.”
10%: “two or more symptoms associated with the 30 percent rating, but of less severity.”

Under that system, a veteran with frequent heartburn (pyrosis), regurgitation and swallowing trouble could reach 30% on symptoms alone. That’s why “GERD VA rating 30 percent” is still such a common search. Under the new code, 30% requires recurrent stricture needing dilatation. That’s a much higher bar.

What Happens to Veterans Already Rated for GERD?

VA stated that the rule “would not disturb ratings currently in effect” [VA Final Rule, Federal Register, 2024]. That matches a long-standing regulation: a change to the rating schedule can’t be grounds for reducing a rating that was already in effect unless medical evidence shows the condition has actually improved [38 CFR 3.951]. When the rule was announced, VA also said claims pending on May 19, 2024 would be reviewed under both the old and new criteria, applying whichever was more favorable.

The practical catch is what happens if you apply for an increase. A new claim is evaluated under the current criteria, and a new exam is part of that process. If you’re rated at 30% under the old symptom scale and have no stricture, think carefully before you file for more. Get a VSO to review your file first.

Is There a 40% or 60% VA Rating for GERD?

No. The current GERD code has five levels: 0, 10, 30, 50 and 80. There’s no 40% level and no longer a 60% level. A GERD rating of 40% or 60% you’ve seen online either comes from the old system (60%), from combined ratings across several conditions, or from a misunderstanding. VA also doesn’t publish an “average” GERD rating. Under the new criteria, most veterans with GERD but no stricture will land at 0% or 10%.

The 10% level is the one that causes the most arguments. Read literally, it describes a “documented history of esophageal stricture(s) that requires daily medications to control dysphagia.” In its explanation of the rule, VA said it chose daily medication as the 10% marker because it’s objective and matches how other conditions, such as heart disease, are compensated. How that applies to a veteran who takes a daily PPI but has never had a documented stricture is a question for your representative. Make sure your medication history is in your records either way.

Hiatal Hernia and GERD VA Rating

Hiatal hernia now has its own entry, DC 7346 (hiatal hernia and paraesophageal hernia), with a one-line instruction: “Rate as esophagus, stricture of (DC 7203).” DC 7203 uses the same five-tier, stricture-based scale as GERD [38 CFR 4.114].

Because a hiatal hernia and reflux so often go together, many veterans are service-connected for both. VA’s general rule is that the same disability can’t be rated twice under different diagnoses [38 CFR 4.14]. In practice, when the hernia and the GERD produce the same findings, expect one evaluation rather than two stacked ratings. Exactly how that’s applied in your case is another question for your VSO.

Barrett’s Esophagus and Other Esophageal Codes

Some long-term GERD complications are rated separately, and these don’t require a stricture:

Barrett’s esophagus (DC 7207): 30% for high-grade dysplasia and 10% for low-grade dysplasia confirmed by pathology. If there’s a stricture, it’s rated under the stricture scale instead. If Barrett’s is treated, for example by radiofrequency ablation, any remaining problems are rated as stricture. See is Barrett’s esophagus reversible.
Esophagitis: erosive, eosinophilic, drug-induced and other forms of esophagitis are listed under the GERD code’s notes, so they’re rated on the same scale. See erosive esophagitis.
Motility disorders (DC 7204), such as achalasia and diffuse esophageal spasm, are also rated as stricture.

Silent Reflux (LPR) and the VA: The Throat Is a Separate Question

This is the part most VA guides miss, and it matters if your reflux mainly affects your throat. LPR rarely causes strictures. Its damage happens in the larynx, where pepsin from refluxed stomach contents irritates the vocal cords and surrounding tissue. Under the digestive code, someone with severe LPR and no stricture would score 0% or 10%.

But the GERD code’s notes say non-digestive complications are rated under the appropriate body system. Chronic laryngitis has its own respiratory code, DC 6516 [38 CFR 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6516]:

30%: hoarseness with thickening or nodules of the cords, polyps, submucous infiltration, or pre-malignant changes on biopsy.
10%: hoarseness with inflammation of the cords or mucous membrane.

Whether laryngitis from reflux is rated that way in your case depends on the medical evidence linking it to your service-connected GERD. If hoarseness is your main problem, ask your representative about this route. Make sure an ENT laryngoscopy report is in your file. I explain the throat side in more detail in acid reflux and chronic laryngitis.

The C&P Exam for GERD: What Gets Looked At

The Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam for GERD uses VA’s esophageal conditions questionnaire. Under the new criteria, the examiner is mostly documenting objective facts, not how bad your heartburn feels. Before the exam, gather:

Imaging and endoscopy reports. Any EGD, barium swallow or CT, especially anything showing a stricture, esophagitis, Barrett’s or a hiatal hernia. See how acid reflux is diagnosed.
A dilatation history. The dates of every dilatation, whether steroids were used, and whether a stent was placed. The percentages depend on counts per year, so dates matter.
Your medication list. Everything you take daily for reflux or swallowing, with start dates. Daily medication drives the 10% level.
Weight and nutrition records. Documented weight loss or undernutrition from swallowing problems is part of the 80% criteria.
ENT records if you have throat symptoms, as above.

VA explains what to expect from the exam itself on its VA claim exam page.

Secondary Service Connection for GERD

Many veterans’ GERD isn’t directly service-connected but is linked to something that is. Two common examples:

Medications for another service-connected condition. NSAIDs taken long-term for joint or back pain irritate the esophagus and stomach. See does ibuprofen cause acid reflux.
Mental health conditions. Stress and anxiety affect reflux perception and esophageal sensitivity. See can stress cause acid reflux.

Secondary claims need a medical opinion connecting the two conditions. That’s exactly the kind of thing an accredited representative helps you build. VA’s how to file a claim page is the official starting point.

Managing GERD While Your Claim Is in Progress

A claim can take months, and none of it helps your esophagus in the meantime. It’s also worth knowing that veterans have been the subjects of some of the more useful recent diet research on reflux. In a randomized trial of 98 veterans with GERD, cutting simple sugars (by about 62 g a day) improved acid exposure on 24-hour pH monitoring and reduced heartburn, regurgitation and sleep disturbance over nine weeks [Gu et al., American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2022].

If you want structure rather than piecemeal changes, the Wipeout Diet Plan gives you a full two-week meal plan and a staged way back to a normal diet. That matters if you’re also trying to rely less on daily medication. See getting off PPIs and acid rebound. One caution: if your rating depends on daily medication, never stop it without talking to your doctor, and be aware it may change how your condition is documented.

Conclusion

The VA rating for GERD is now based on what can be measured. That means esophageal strictures, how often they’re dilated, and what treatment they need, not how much your symptoms disrupt your life. That leaves most veterans with GERD at 0% or 10%, unless they have documented strictures. If you were rated under the old symptom scale, that rating is protected unless your condition improves, so get advice before filing for an increase. If throat symptoms are your main problem, look into the laryngitis code as well as the digestive one. For anything specific to your claim, an accredited VSO, agent or attorney is the right next step, and VA’s disability benefits pages are the official source.

Whatever the outcome of your claim, you still have to live with the reflux. The Wipeout Diet Plan is my complete, step-by-step guide to calming it through food. It covers what to eat, what to cut, and how to time meals, with a stricter healing phase followed by gradual reintroduction. I built it first for silent reflux, the stubborn throat-based kind, but because it works on the same underlying mechanisms, it helps GERD and everyday heartburn just as well.

If you’d rather start smaller, the Wipeout Food Reference Guide is the essential companion. It lists reflux- and LPR-friendly foods and drinks with their pH values, so you can check anything at a glance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VA rating for GERD?

GERD is rated under diagnostic code 7206 at 0%, 10%, 30%, 50% or 80%. Ratings of 30% and above require a documented, recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture. The 10% level is tied to needing daily medication.

Can I still get a 30 percent VA rating for GERD?

Yes, but not on symptoms alone anymore. Under the current criteria, 30% requires a documented history of recurrent esophageal stricture causing swallowing difficulty that needs dilatation up to twice a year.

What are the new GERD VA rating criteria?

The criteria that took effect on May 19, 2024 rate GERD on esophageal stricture: how often it needs dilatation, whether steroids or a stent are needed, and whether surgery or a feeding tube was required. Findings must be documented by barium swallow, CT or endoscopy.

Will my existing GERD rating be reduced under the new rules?

Not because of the rule change alone. A rating in effect when the schedule changed can’t be reduced on that basis unless medical evidence shows your condition has actually improved. Filing for an increase triggers a review under the current criteria, so get advice first.

Is there a 50 percent VA rating for GERD?

Yes. 50% applies to recurrent or refractory stricture causing dysphagia that needs dilatation 3 or more times a year, steroid-assisted dilatation at least once a year, or an esophageal stent.

Are GERD and hiatal hernia rated separately by the VA?

Hiatal hernia has its own code (DC 7346) but is rated on the same stricture scale. VA avoids rating the same disability twice under different diagnoses, so when both produce the same findings, expect one evaluation rather than two.

Can silent reflux (LPR) get a VA rating?

LPR has no separate digestive code and rarely causes strictures. However, non-digestive complications are rated under their own body system, and chronic laryngitis (DC 6516) is rated at 10% or 30% based on laryngoscopy findings. Ask your representative whether it applies to you.

Research & References

38 CFR 4.114, Schedule of Ratings: Digestive System. The current rating criteria for GERD (DC 7206), esophageal stricture (DC 7203), motility disorders (DC 7204), Barrett’s esophagus (DC 7207) and hiatal hernia (DC 7346), including the definitions of recurrent and refractory stricture.
VA Final Rule, Schedule for Rating Disabilities: The Digestive System, Federal Register, 2024. Published March 20, 2024, effective May 19, 2024. It explains VA’s move from symptom-based to objective, stricture-based GERD ratings and states that ratings in effect would not be disturbed.
Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision, 2018. Quotes the former DC 7346 criteria (10%, 30%, 60%) by which GERD was rated by analogy before 2024.
38 CFR 3.951, Preservation of disability ratings. A readjustment of the rating schedule is not grounds for reducing an existing rating unless the disability has actually improved.
38 CFR 4.14, Avoidance of pyramiding. The same disability should not be evaluated under several diagnoses.
38 CFR 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6516, Chronic Laryngitis. Rates hoarseness with cord inflammation at 10% and hoarseness with thickening, nodules, polyps, submucous infiltration or pre-malignant changes at 30%.
Ruigómez et al., American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2006. In UK primary care, esophageal stricture incidence was 1.1 per 10,000 person-years and declined from 1994 to 2000 alongside rising PPI use. Most strictures were peptic.
Gu et al., American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2022. In a 9-week randomized trial of 98 veterans with GERD, reducing simple sugar intake improved esophageal acid exposure and reflux symptoms.

David Gray

12 years living with LPR · Consultant & researcher

Every claim sourced to peer-reviewed research Editorial policy

I've lived with LPR for twelve years — the misdiagnoses, the PPI courses that did nothing, the slow work of figuring out what actually helps. Wipeout Reflux is where I translate the research into plain terms for people stuck in the same place. Every claim here is sourced to peer-reviewed work, and I consult one-to-one with LPR sufferers.

View all articles by David Gray

GERD VA Rating: Criteria, Percentages and How It Works