If you experience dry, itchy skin from psoriasis that can be linked to your military service, you may qualify for compensation from the VA. This article explains more about the psoriasis VA rating, the psoriatic arthritis VA rating, and how to qualify.
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You have scaly, painful patches of skin on your body that just won’t go away. The discomfort it causes makes it hard to concentrate, interferes with your sleep, and generally makes daily life more difficult. If you have service-connected psoriasis, you may be eligible for a psoriasis VA disability rating.
In this article about the psoriasis VA rating:
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that causes skin cells to multiply too quickly. It’s characterized by red, scaly patches of skin that often develop on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp.
While the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, its onset may involve a combination of genetics and environmental factors. Some external factors that are thought to increase your risk of developing the autoimmune condition include smoking, obesity, infections such as strep throat or HIV, and certain medications like those used to treat heart disease, malaria, and mental health disorders.
Around 30% of people with psoriasis will also develop psoriatic arthritis. This is because psoriasis causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy cells and tissue, which leads to joint inflammation. Symptoms are similar to other forms of arthritis and include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling that can affect any part of the body.
Psoriasis VA rating
The VA rates psoriasis using diagnostic code 7816 under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. Your psoriasis VA rating will depend on how much of the body is affected, the percentage of exposed areas that are affected, and how often treatment is needed to control symptoms.
The General Rating Formula for the Skin provides ratings of 60%, 30%, 10%, or 0% as described in the table below.
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| At least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving more than 40 percent of the entire body or more than 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Constant or near-constant systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, psoralen with long-wave ultraviolet-A light (PUVA), or other immunosuppressive drugs required over the past 12-month period | 60% | $1,434.02 |
| At least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12-month period | 30% | $552.47 |
| At least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving at least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of the entire body affected; or At least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of exposed areas affected; or Intermittent systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period | 10% | $180.42 |
| No more than topical therapy required over the past 12-month period and at least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of the entire body affected; or Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of exposed areas affected | 0% | None |
The VA defines systemic therapy as “treatment that is administered through any route (orally, injection, suppository, intranasally) other than the skin, and topical therapy is treatment that is administered through the skin.”
Psoriatic arthritis VA rating
Veterans with service-connected psoriasis who develop psoriatic arthritis can qualify for VA disability ratings for both conditions.
The psoriatic arthritis VA rating is determined using diagnostic code 5002 for multi-joint arthritis and can be assigned a 20%, 40%, 60%, or 100% rating depending on the severity of your symptoms.
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| With constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement, totally incapacitating | 100% | $3,938.58 |
| Less than criteria for 100% but with weight loss and anemia productive of severe impairment of health or severely incapacitating exacerbations occurring 4 or more times a year or a lesser number over prolonged periods | 60% | $1,434.02 |
| Symptom combinations productive of definite impairment of health objectively supported by examination findings or incapacitating exacerbations occurring 3 or more times a year | 40% | $795.84 |
| One or two exacerbations a year in a well-established diagnosis | 20% | $356.66 |
If your condition causes limitation of motion that warrants a higher rating than your psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, the VA will rate your symptoms on the basis of limitation of motion instead.
The ratings for limitation of motion can be found in diagnostic codes 5200-5274 and are grouped by part of the body. For example, if your psoriatic arthritis affects your knees and you experience ankylosis (stiffening or immobility of a joint), upon bending your knee at an angle of 45° or more, you may be rated at 60% for limitation of motion in the knee.
Remember, depending on which is higher, the VA will give you a rating for psoriatic arthritis OR limitation of motion, but not both.
Psoriasis and related conditions
Psoriatic arthritis isn’t the only condition that can develop as a result of your service-connected psoriasis. The autoimmune disorder may also increase your risk of developing other conditions including:
- Heart attack and stroke
- Crohn’s disease
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Hidradenitis suppurativa
Additionally, one study found that people with psoriasis or other skin conditions are more likely to develop symptoms of depression or socially isolate themselves due to emotional discomfort.
If you developed another condition because of your service-connected psoriasis, you may be eligible for a secondary service connection, qualifying you for additional VA disability compensation. For example, if your psoriasis negatively affects your self-esteem, you may avoid going out in public with friends and family, or stop doing the hobbies you once enjoyed. This social isolation could lead to depression, which could in turn qualify for a secondary service connection.
TDIU for psoriasis
A veteran can be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) benefits if they can’t maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected conditions.
Veterans with psoriasis may have trouble falling or staying asleep at night due to constant itchiness and pain. This can make it hard to concentrate at work, and even dangerous if you do manual labor or have a job that requires operating heavy machinery.
TDIU pays at the same level as a 100% disability rating, even when the veteran’s combined rating is below 100%.
Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:
- One service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
- Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more.
How Woods & Woods can help
Our VA-accredited attorneys have helped thousands of veterans nationwide who can no longer work because of their service-connected conditions. Call us today for your free, confidential TDIU case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we win your claim.
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Frequently asked questions
The VA does not recognize psoriasis as presumptive of Agent Orange exposure. However, you may still qualify for a psoriasis VA disability rating if you can prove your diagnosis was caused or worsened by military service.
No. Psoriasis is not one of the presumptive conditions included in the PACT Act. For a full list of PACT Act presumptive conditions and how to qualify, visit the VA’s website.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
