Diabetes VA Disability Rating: Criteria, Evidence & Pay

What is diabetes and how does it affect veterans?

Diabetes mellitus type II is a chronic metabolic condition where your body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to elevated blood sugar levels that, over time, damage blood vessels, nerves, and organs throughout your body. Type 2 diabetes is one of the most commonly claimed VA disabilities and one of the most significant conditions connected to military service.

Veterans develop diabetes at higher rates than the general population. This is partly due to environmental exposures during service — most notably Agent Orange and other herbicide agents used during the Vietnam era — and partly due to lifestyle factors that military service contributes to, including weight gain from service-connected injuries, stress-related eating patterns, and medications that affect blood sugar.

The long-term complications of diabetes are what make it particularly serious. Uncontrolled or poorly managed diabetes damages small blood vessels (causing peripheral neuropathy, kidney disease, and vision problems) and large blood vessels (increasing risk of heart disease and stroke). Many veterans find that their diabetes is the gateway condition that leads to multiple secondary claims as complications develop over time.

VA diagnostic code for diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is rated under Diagnostic Code (DC) 7913 per 38 CFR § 4.119, Schedule of Ratings — Endocrine System.

DC 7913 covers diabetes mellitus and specifies that complications of diabetes are to be evaluated separately unless they are used to support a particular rating level. This means that if you have peripheral neuropathy from diabetes, it gets its own rating in addition to your diabetes rating, unless the neuropathy is specifically part of the criteria for your diabetes rating level.

Presumptive connection: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to herbicide agents (Agent Orange). Veterans who served in Vietnam, Thailand (certain Royal Thai Air Force Bases), and other qualifying locations between 1962 and 1975 are presumed to have been exposed.

Rating criteria for diabetes

The VA assigns diabetes ratings at six possible levels:

0% rating

Criteria: Manageable by diet only, but a diagnosis is confirmed.

Monthly payment: $0 (but establishes service connection for future increases and secondary claims)

What this looks like: Your diabetes is diagnosed but controlled entirely through dietary changes without any medication. This is relatively uncommon as a long-term management strategy, and many veterans at this level eventually progress to needing medication.

10% rating — $180.42/month

Criteria: Manageable by a restricted diet only.

What this looks like: Your diabetes requires a medically prescribed restricted diet to control blood sugar levels, but you do not yet require insulin or oral hypoglycemic medication. Your doctor has specifically put you on a diabetic diet to manage the condition.

20% rating — $356.66/month

Criteria: Requiring insulin and restricted diet, or oral hypoglycemic agent and restricted diet.

What this looks like: This is the most commonly assigned rating. You take insulin (injections or pump) along with following a restricted diet, or you take an oral medication like metformin along with following a restricted diet. Most veterans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes fall into this category because the standard treatment involves both medication and dietary management.

40% rating — $795.84/month

Criteria: Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities.

What this looks like: In addition to insulin and a restricted diet, your doctor has specifically restricted your physical activities because of your diabetes. This means you have documented medical orders limiting strenuous occupational and recreational activities due to the risk of hypoglycemic episodes or other diabetic complications. The key factor at this level is the regulation of activities — your medical records must show your doctor has explicitly told you to avoid certain physical activities.

60% rating — $1,435.02/month

Criteria: Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities, with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one or two hospitalizations per year or twice-a-month visits to a diabetic care provider, plus complications that would not be compensable if separately evaluated.

What this looks like: Your diabetes is severe enough to cause dangerous blood sugar episodes — either diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or significant hypoglycemic reactions — that require hospitalization once or twice per year or frequent visits to your diabetes specialist. You also have complications from diabetes that exist but are not severe enough to warrant their own separate rating.

100% rating — $3,938.58/month

Criteria: Requiring more than one daily injection of insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities, with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring at least three hospitalizations per year or weekly visits to a diabetic care provider, plus progressive loss of weight and strength attributable to diabetes.

What this looks like: Your diabetes is extremely severe and essentially dominates your daily life. You require multiple daily insulin injections, strict dietary management, and significant activity restrictions. You are hospitalized at least three times per year for diabetic emergencies or see your diabetic care provider weekly. You are also losing weight and strength due to the disease. This rating is rare and represents the most poorly controlled cases.

What evidence do you need?

Service records

• Service treatment records showing blood sugar readings, weight changes, or early diabetic symptoms
• Personnel records confirming service in locations with herbicide agent exposure (Vietnam, Thailand, etc.)
• Deployment records and service dates for presumptive connection claims
• Any in-service lab work showing elevated glucose or HbA1c levels

Medical evidence

• Current diagnosis of type 2 diabetes from a qualified physician
• HbA1c test results documenting your blood sugar control over time
• Prescription records for insulin, oral hypoglycemics, or diabetic supplies
• Documentation of a medically prescribed restricted diet
• If claiming 40% or higher: explicit medical orders restricting your activities due to diabetes
• If claiming 60% or higher: hospital admission records for ketoacidosis or severe hypoglycemic reactions
• Records documenting any diabetic complications (neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy)

Nexus letter

If not claiming through the Agent Orange presumptive pathway, you will need a medical opinion linking your diabetes to military service. Even for presumptive claims, a nexus letter can strengthen the claim and help establish the severity level and secondary conditions.

Buddy statements

Statements from family members, friends, or coworkers who can describe how your diabetes affects your daily life — dietary restrictions, activity limitations, episodes of low or high blood sugar, and the overall impact on your functioning.

C&P exam tips for diabetes

What the examiner evaluates

• Confirmation of diabetes diagnosis and type (type 1 vs. type 2)
• Current treatment regimen (diet only, oral medication, insulin, or combination)
• Whether your activities are medically regulated due to diabetes
• Frequency of hospitalizations for ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic episodes
• Presence and severity of diabetic complications
• Impact on daily functioning and employability

How to prepare

1. Bring your medication list. Have a complete list of all diabetes medications, dosages, and how often you take them. Bring insulin pens or pump information if applicable.
2. Have your HbA1c and blood sugar records. Bring your most recent lab work showing blood sugar control. If you track blood sugar at home, bring your glucose monitor records.
3. Document activity restrictions. If your doctor has restricted your activities, bring copies of those medical orders. This is the single most important factor for getting a 40% rating.
4. List all hospitalizations. If you have been hospitalized for DKA or hypoglycemia, bring discharge summaries with dates.
5. Describe your daily routine. Be ready to explain how diabetes affects your day — meal planning, medication timing, blood sugar monitoring, and any activities you can no longer do.
6. Mention all complications. Tell the examiner about every complication, including numbness in your feet, vision changes, kidney issues, and erectile dysfunction. Each may qualify for a separate rating.

Common secondary conditions linked to diabetes

Diabetes causes damage throughout the body, making secondary condition claims critically important for your overall combined rating:

• Peripheral neuropathy — Nerve damage in the hands and feet is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Numbness, tingling, burning pain, and loss of sensation typically start in the feet and progress upward. Each extremity is rated separately.
• Erectile dysfunction — Diabetes damages blood vessels and nerves needed for sexual function. This is a very common secondary claim and qualifies for special monthly compensation (SMC-K).
• Hypertension — Diabetes significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure. The two conditions share underlying vascular damage mechanisms.
• Kidney disease — Diabetic nephropathy is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. Damaged blood vessels in the kidneys impair filtration over time.
• Diabetic retinopathy — Damage to blood vessels in the eyes can lead to vision loss. This is rated separately under the eye rating schedule.

How to calculate your monthly payment

Your total VA disability payment depends on your combined rating across all service-connected conditions. Veterans with diabetes often have several secondary conditions, and the combined rating can be substantially higher than any single condition alone. For example, a 20% diabetes rating combined with bilateral peripheral neuropathy and hypertension could yield a combined rating of 60% or more.

Use our VA disability calculator to:

• Calculate your combined rating with multiple conditions
• Understand how VA math combines ratings (20% + 20% does not equal 40%)
• Estimate your monthly payment including dependents

For the full breakdown of payment amounts at every rating level, see our 2026 VA disability pay rates page.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. For personalized guidance on your VA disability claim, consult a VA-accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO), attorney, or claims agent. You can find accredited representatives at VA.gov.