38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.117

Iron deficiency anemia — VA Diagnostic Code 7720

Hematologic / lymphatic

Diagnostic code

7720

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38 CFR § 4.117 lists Diagnostic Code 7720 as “Iron deficiency anemia:”. The lines are 30, 10, and 0. Appendix B to Part 4 uses the same words, with a period instead of the colon. The note does not end with a period.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.117 source note prints 60 FR 49227, Sept. 22, 1995, as amended at 77 FR 6467, Feb. 8, 2012; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014; 83 FR 54254, Oct. 29, 2018; 83 FR 54881, Nov. 1, 2018; 87 FR 61248, Oct. 11, 2022.

The rating criteria at each level

7720 Iron deficiency anemia

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). Requiring intravenous iron infusions 4 or more times per 12-month period

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Requiring intravenous iron infusions at least 1 time but less than 4 times per 12-month period, or requiring continuous treatment with oral supplementation

Rating %: 0

Criteria (verbatim). Asymptomatic or requiring treatment only by dietary modification

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
30	Requiring intravenous iron infusions 4 or more times per 12-month period
10	Requiring intravenous iron infusions at least 1 time but less than 4 times per 12-month period, or requiring continuous treatment with oral supplementation
0	Asymptomatic or requiring treatment only by dietary modification

Note: Do not evaluate iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss under this diagnostic code. Evaluate iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss under the criteria for the condition causing the blood loss

The note has no final period. It says not to evaluate iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss under DC 7720, and to evaluate that anemia under the criteria for the condition causing the blood loss. It does not name that other condition. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

The 10 percent line says “at least 1 time but less than 4 times.” It uses the numeral 1. The 30 percent line says “4 or more times per 12-month period.” DC 7720 prints a 0 percent line. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. The zero on this code is the line the table prints.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.117, Diagnostic Code 7720, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Intravenous iron, counted in 12 months

The 30 percent line is intravenous iron infusions 4 or more times per 12-month period. The 10 percent line is at least 1 time but less than 4 times in that period, or continuous treatment with oral supplementation.

Dietary modification is the 0 percent alternative

The 0 percent line is “Asymptomatic or requiring treatment only by dietary modification.” The “or” joins those two findings on one line.

Blood loss is outside this code

The note says iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss is not evaluated under DC 7720. It points to the criteria for the condition causing the blood loss. DC 7722 is pernicious anemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. DC 7721 is folic acid deficiency. Those are other rows.

Evidence that speaks to each level

30 or 10

What the rater needs to see. The intravenous iron infusion count in a 12-month period, or continuous oral supplementation on the 10 percent line.

Where that usually lives. The infusion record or the record of continuous oral supplementation.

0, or anemia from blood loss

What the rater needs to see. Asymptomatic iron deficiency anemia, or treatment only by dietary modification. If the anemia is due to blood loss, the note uses the condition that caused the blood loss.

Where that usually lives. The laboratory report and the record of the cause, when the note applies.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
30 or 10	The intravenous iron infusion count in a 12-month period, or continuous oral supplementation on the 10 percent line.	The infusion record or the record of continuous oral supplementation.
0, or anemia from blood loss	Asymptomatic iron deficiency anemia, or treatment only by dietary modification. If the anemia is due to blood loss, the note uses the condition that caused the blood loss.	The laboratory report and the record of the cause, when the note applies.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Hematologic and Lymphatic Conditions, Including Leukemia” under Hematologic & Lymphatic. The file is Hematologic and Lymphatic Conditions, Including Leukemia.

The exam form

DC 7720 prints three percentage lines and one note. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Pernicious anemia and folic acid deficiency are the next rows.

DC 7721 prints 10 and 0 for folic acid deficiency. DC 7722 prints 100 and 10 for pernicious anemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Neither row is the DC 7720 note.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 says “Anemia, primary.” It does not say iron deficiency anemia, and that row has no code. Section 3.309 does not contain “iron deficiency.” 38 CFR § 3.320b does not contain “iron.”

Short answers

What is the VA rating for iron deficiency anemia?

Under 38 CFR § 4.117, Diagnostic Code 7720 prints 30, 10, and 0. The note excludes iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss from this code. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

What does the 10 percent line count?

Intravenous iron infusions at least 1 time but less than 4 times per 12-month period, or continuous treatment with oral supplementation.

FAQ

What percentages does DC 7720 print?

30 for intravenous iron infusions 4 or more times per 12-month period. 10 for at least 1 but less than 4 intravenous infusions in that period, or for continuous oral supplementation. 0 if asymptomatic or if treatment is only by dietary modification. Education only.

Does the note end with a period?

No. It says not to evaluate iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss under this diagnostic code, and to evaluate it under the criteria for the condition causing the blood loss.

Is iron deficiency anemia “Anemia, primary”?

Section 3.309(a) says “Anemia, primary.” It does not say iron deficiency anemia, and that row has no diagnostic code. The schedule title at DC 7720 is “Iron deficiency anemia:”.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 7720, the 12-month infusion count or the oral supplementation, and whether the blood-loss note was applied.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other hematologic codes are on the hematologic diagnostic-code index.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Hematologic / lymphatic, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Hematologic / lymphatic codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7720 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.