VA rates liver disease under 38 CFR 4.114 using three main diagnostic codes: DC 7312 for cirrhosis, DC 7345 for chronic liver disease without cirrhosis, and DC 7351 for liver transplant. Cirrhosis is now rated at 0, 10, 30, 60, or 100 percent, driven primarily by your Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Chronic liver disease without cirrhosis is rated at 0, 20, 40, 60, or 100 percent. Hepatitis C (DC 7354) no longer has its own rating table and is evaluated using the DC 7345 criteria.
If you are reading an article that says cirrhosis is rated at 50 or 70 percent, it is describing the schedule that VA replaced. Those levels no longer exist. VA published a full rewrite of the digestive system rating schedule at 89 FR 19743 on March 20, 2024, and it took effect May 19, 2024. Several sites still publish the pre-2024 criteria.
What Changed on May 19, 2024
The rewrite touched every liver code. Here is the before and after, taken from the regulation text itself.
| Diagnostic code | Before May 19, 2024 | Current |
|---|
| 7312 Cirrhosis | Titled "Cirrhosis of the liver, primary biliary cirrhosis, or cirrhotic phase of sclerosing cholangitis." Levels: 100, 70, 50, 30, 10. Based on counted episodes of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or variceal hemorrhage. | Titled "Cirrhosis of the liver." Levels: 100, 60, 30, 10, 0. Based on MELD score or symptoms. The 70% and 50% levels were eliminated. A 0% level was added. |
| 7345 Chronic liver disease without cirrhosis | Levels: 100, 60, 40, 20, 10, 0. Included an "incapacitating episodes" pathway measured in weeks of physician-ordered bed rest. | Levels: 100, 60, 40, 20, 0. The 10% level was removed. The incapacitating episodes pathway was removed entirely. |
| 7354 Hepatitis C | Had its own full rating table, 100 through 0. | Criteria removed. The code now reads only "Rate under DC 7345." |
| 7350 Liver abscess | Did not exist. | New code. 100% for six months from initial diagnosis, then a mandatory exam. |
| 7316 Chronic cholangitis | Existed as its own code. | Removed. Biliary conditions now fall under DC 7314, chronic biliary tract disease. |
| 7351 Liver transplant | 100 / 30 minimum. | 100 indefinite, 60 while eligible and awaiting surgery, 30 minimum after surgery. |
The removal of the incapacitating episodes pathway under DC 7345 matters more than it sounds. Under the old rule, a veteran with hepatitis or autoimmune liver disease could reach 20, 40, or 60 percent purely by documenting weeks of bed rest ordered by a physician. That route is gone. The current criteria require continuous medication plus documented weight loss plus symptoms.
DC 7312: Cirrhosis of the Liver, Current Criteria
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|
| 100% | MELD score of 15 or higher; or continuous daily debilitating symptoms and generalized weakness plus at least one of: ascites, a history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhage, coagulopathy, portal gastropathy, or hepatopulmonary or hepatorenal syndrome |
| 60% | MELD score greater than 11 but less than 15; or daily fatigue plus at least one episode in the last year of variceal hemorrhage, portal gastropathy, or hepatic encephalopathy |
| 30% | MELD score of 10 or 11; or signs of portal hypertension such as splenomegaly or ascites, plus weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, or malaise |
| 10% | MELD score greater than 6 but less than 10; or evidence of anorexia, weakness, abdominal pain, or malaise |
| 0% | Asymptomatic, with a history of liver disease |
Three notes attach to this code and each one changes claims in practice.
Note (1) sends hepatocellular carcinoma occurring with cirrhosis to DC 7343, malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, instead of DC 7312. That code carries a 100 percent rating that continues beyond the end of surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, with a mandatory VA exam six months after treatment stops.
Note (2) requires that biochemical studies, imaging studies, or a biopsy confirm liver dysfunction, including hyponatremia, thrombocytopenia, or coagulopathy. A diagnosis on its own is not enough.
Note (3) is the safety valve. Where the evidence contains no MELD score, VA rates the condition on symptoms. Many veterans are treated outside the VA system by providers who never calculate MELD, so this note is what keeps those claims alive.
Understanding the MELD Score
MELD is a mortality risk score used in transplant medicine, calculated from serum bilirubin, serum creatinine, and INR, with a sodium adjustment applied at higher scores. The scale runs from 6 to 40. A higher score means higher short-term mortality risk. Since 2016, the sodium-adjusted version has been the standard used by the United Network for Organ Sharing.
The practical takeaway for a claim is that MELD is computed from ordinary lab values. If your hepatologist has not calculated one, the underlying labs may already be in your records. Ask your provider to document a MELD score at your next visit, and make sure the C&P examiner has recent labs.
DC 7345: Chronic Liver Disease Without Cirrhosis
This code covers a wide range of conditions. Note (3) to DC 7345 expressly lists hepatitis B confirmed by serologic testing, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune liver disease, Wilson's disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, drug-induced hepatitis, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatitis C is tracked under DC 7354 but evaluated using these criteria.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|
| 100% | Progressive chronic liver disease requiring both parenteral antiviral therapy (direct antiviral agents) and parenteral immunomodulatory therapy (interferon and other), and for six months following discontinuance of treatment |
| 60% | Progressive chronic liver disease requiring continuous medication and causing substantial weight loss, plus at least two of: daily fatigue, malaise, anorexia, hepatomegaly, pruritus, arthralgia |
| 40% | Same as 60% but with minor weight loss instead of substantial weight loss |
| 20% | Chronic liver disease with at least one of: intermittent fatigue, malaise, anorexia, hepatomegaly, or pruritus |
| 0% | Previous history of liver disease, currently asymptomatic |
"Substantial weight loss" and "minor weight loss" are defined terms, not judgment calls. Under 38 CFR 4.112(a), substantial weight loss means involuntary loss of more than 20 percent of baseline weight sustained for three months with diminished quality of self-care or work tasks. Minor weight loss means involuntary loss between 10 and 20 percent of baseline weight sustained for three months with gastrointestinal symptoms, involving diminished self-care or work tasks, or decreased food intake.
Baseline weight is the documented average for the two years before onset, or the weight at your most recent discharge physical. If neither is available, VA uses ideal body weight from the Hamwi formula or BMI tables, whichever is more favorable to you.
Note (2) to DC 7345 covers a specific situation worth knowing: if physicians recommend both parenteral antiviral therapy and parenteral immunomodulatory drugs but treatment is medically contraindicated, VA rates the condition under DC 7312 instead.
DC 7354: Hepatitis C
The entire entry now reads: "Rate under DC 7345 (Chronic liver disease without cirrhosis)." The code number survives so VA can track hepatitis C separately, but the criteria are the DC 7345 table above.
Hepatitis C is not a presumptive condition. Service connection has to be established through evidence, and VA has recognized several in-service risk factors in individual cases, including blood transfusions received before 1992, air gun or jet injector inoculations, combat wounds, occupational blood exposure, and in-service surgery. Camp Lejeune veterans should note that hepatitis C is not on the Camp Lejeune presumptive list, though liver cancer is, for those with at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune or MCAS New River between 1953 and 1987.
Note (4) to DC 7345 warns against rating the same symptoms twice. If hepatitis C progresses to cirrhosis or liver cancer, VA evaluates the sequelae under the appropriate code but cannot use the same signs and symptoms as the basis for both ratings. See 38 CFR 4.14, the anti-pyramiding rule.
Other Liver-Related Codes
DC 7311, residuals of injury of the liver. Not a rating table. It directs VA to separately evaluate the specific residuals as adhesions of the peritoneum (DC 7301), cirrhosis (DC 7312), or chronic liver disease without cirrhosis (DC 7345).
DC 7350, liver abscess. New in 2024. A 100 percent rating for six months from the date of initial diagnosis, then a mandatory VA exam, then a rating based on chronic residuals under the appropriate body system. The note specifies that bacterial, viral, amebic, fungal, and other abscesses all qualify.
DC 7351, liver transplant. 100 percent for an indefinite period from the date of hospital admission for transplant surgery. 60 percent minimum while eligible and awaiting surgery. 30 percent minimum after transplant. A mandatory exam happens one year after discharge, and any reduction goes through the 38 CFR 3.105(e) process.
DC 7314, chronic biliary tract disease. Covers cholangitis, biliary strictures, Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, bile duct injury, and choledochal cyst. Rated at 30, 10, or 0 percent based on documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting. Primary sclerosing cholangitis goes to DC 7345 instead.
The Rule That Blocks Stacking Liver Ratings
The opening instruction of 38 CFR 4.114 states that ratings under diagnostic codes 7301 through 7329, 7331, 7342, 7345 through 7350, 7352, and 7355 through 7357 may not be combined with each other. Instead, VA assigns a single evaluation under the code that reflects the predominant disability picture, and elevates it to the next higher evaluation if the overall severity warrants it.
DC 7312 sits inside the 7301 to 7329 range and DC 7345 sits inside the 7345 to 7350 range, so a veteran with both cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis gets one rating, not two. The elevation clause is the practical lever: if your combined picture is worse than any single code captures, argue for the next higher step under the predominant code.
DC 7351, liver transplant, is not on that list. Neither is DC 7343, malignant neoplasms.
2026 Payment Amounts
VA disability compensation is tax free. These rates took effect December 1, 2025.
| Rating | Veteran alone | Veteran with spouse |
|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 |
Ratings below 30 percent do not include additional payment for dependents. See our 2026 VA disability pay chart for the full table including children and parents.
Claims Pending Before May 19, 2024
If your liver claim was received by VA or was pending before the adjudicating office on May 19, 2024, VA is required to consider both the old and new criteria and apply whichever version is more favorable to you. The Board of Veterans' Appeals has applied this rule repeatedly in liver and digestive cases.
This is not a technicality for cirrhosis claims. Under the old DC 7312, a documented history of one episode of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or hemorrhage from varices got a veteran 50 percent, and two or more episodes with remission in between got 70 percent. Under the current code, a single past episode of ascites does not appear at the 60 percent level at all, and there is no 70 percent level. A veteran whose claim was pending on the effective date may do considerably better under the version VA replaced. Say so explicitly in your argument, and cite the specific old criteria you meet.
VA cannot apply the new criteria to a period before May 19, 2024.
How to File a Liver Disease Claim
- Confirm the diagnosis in your records. DC 7312 requires biochemical studies, imaging, or biopsy confirming liver dysfunction. Hepatitis B requires serologic confirmation. A symptom list without a confirmed diagnosis will not survive.
- Get a recent MELD score or the labs behind it. Bilirubin, creatinine, INR, and sodium. If your provider does not routinely compute MELD, ask for it in writing at your next visit.
- Establish service connection. For hepatitis C, that means identifying the in-service risk factor and getting a medical opinion linking it. For cirrhosis secondary to a service-connected condition, file it as a secondary claim.
- Document weight against a baseline. DC 7345 turns on percentage loss from a two-year baseline. Pull the weights from your service records and your treatment records so the percentage is calculable.
- File on VA Form 21-526EZ through VA.gov, by mail, or with an accredited representative. A Veterans Service Organization representative costs nothing.
- Consider a Disability Benefits Questionnaire. A private DBQ completed by your treating hepatologist can address criteria a general C&P examiner may skim past. See our DBQ guide.
- Attend the C&P exam. Bring your labs. Read our C&P exam guide first.
If liver disease keeps you from maintaining substantially gainful employment but your rating is below 100 percent, look at TDIU, which pays at the 100 percent rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest VA rating for cirrhosis of the liver?
100 percent. It requires a MELD score of 15 or higher, or continuous daily debilitating symptoms and generalized weakness plus at least one of ascites, a history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhage, coagulopathy, portal gastropathy, or hepatopulmonary or hepatorenal syndrome.
Is there still a 50 percent or 70 percent rating for cirrhosis?
Not under the current schedule. The May 19, 2024 rewrite eliminated both levels from DC 7312. The rating steps are now 0, 10, 30, 60, and 100. If your claim was pending before that date, VA must still consider the old criteria and apply them if they are more favorable.
What is the VA rating for hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is tracked under DC 7354 but rated using the DC 7345 criteria for chronic liver disease without cirrhosis: 0, 20, 40, 60, or 100 percent. A hepatitis C diagnosis alone with no current symptoms rates 0 percent. Modern direct-acting antivirals cure most cases, which is why many veterans with a hepatitis C history now hold a noncompensable rating.
Does fatty liver disease get a VA rating?
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is expressly listed in Note (3) to DC 7345 and is rated under that code. Simple fatty liver without inflammation or fibrosis often produces no symptoms, which puts it at 0 percent. A 0 percent rating still establishes service connection, which protects your ability to claim an increase if the condition progresses.
Can I get separate ratings for cirrhosis and hepatitis?
No. The opening rule of 38 CFR 4.114 bars combining DC 7312 with DC 7345. VA assigns one rating under the code reflecting the predominant disability picture, then elevates it one step if the overall severity warrants. A liver transplant under DC 7351 is not subject to that restriction.
What if my doctor never calculated a MELD score?
Note (3) to DC 7312 requires VA to rate on symptomatology when the evidence contains no MELD score. You are not blocked from a rating. That said, a documented MELD score is the cleanest path to the higher levels, so ask your provider to compute one.
Does liver disease qualify for Social Security disability too?
VA disability and Social Security disability are separate programs with different rules. A VA rating is not a Social Security finding, and SSA does not use the VA rating schedule. See our guide to SSDI for liver disease for how SSA evaluates chronic liver disease, and VA disability and SSDI for how the two interact.
How long does a liver disease claim take?
VA's processing times vary by claim type and evidence development. Claims that need a C&P exam and private records generally take longer. Our claim timeline guide breaks down each phase.
Sources
- 38 CFR 4.114, Schedule of ratings, digestive system (current text via eCFR)
- 38 CFR 4.112, Weight loss and nutrition
- 89 FR 19743, March 20, 2024, Schedule for Rating Disabilities: The Digestive System, effective May 19, 2024
- VA.gov, Veterans disability compensation rates effective December 1, 2025
This article is informational and is not legal or medical advice. Eligibility and ratings are determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
