Once you have an intent to file (VA Form 21-0966) on record, you generally do not need to wait for every piece of evidence before submitting your formal claim (VA Form 21-526EZ). The intent to file locks in a potential effective date for up to one year, so filing sooner rather than later protects that date rather than jeopardizing it. Waiting risks losing back-dated benefits if the year lapses before you submit.
For sleep apnea, the rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6847, ties higher ratings to documented use of a CPAP or similar breathing device: 50 percent requires persistent use of a breathing assistance device, while 30 percent applies with a documented diagnosis and use of a device is not yet shown, and 100 percent requires evidence of chronic respiratory failure or related complications. Since you already have a diagnosis of severe sleep apnea from a VA-administered study, you have strong medical evidence in hand. If the CPAP has just been prescribed but you have not yet started or documented consistent use, VA may initially rate at 30 percent and increase later once continued use is shown in your medical records.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Because you are already service-connected for rhinitis and sinusitis, it is worth exploring whether your sleep apnea could be filed as secondary to those conditions, particularly if nasal obstruction or airway inflammation plausibly contributes to or aggravates the apnea. Secondary service connection under 38 CFR 3.310 requires a nexus opinion linking the two conditions; a private or VA physician's medical opinion addressing that connection will strengthen the file. In the appealed VA decisions in VetAid's library, service connection claims that reach appeal are vacated or remanded about half the time and affirmed roughly 30 percent of the time — a reminder that outcomes on connected or secondary claims are far from guaranteed and often hinge on the quality of the medical nexus evidence, though this data reflects appealed cases only, not first-time filings.
The concrete next step is to file the formal claim now using your existing intent to file, submitting the sleep study results, CPAP prescription, and any statement or opinion addressing a secondary link to your rhinitis and sinusitis.
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