PACT Act

Dept. of AZ DAV | AZ-DAV.org

The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.

The PACT Act will bring these changes:

Expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras
Adds 20+ more presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures
Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation
Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care
Helps us improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures

If you’re a Veteran or survivor, you can file claims now to apply for PACT Act-related benefits.

What new Agent Orange presumptive conditions will VA add?

Based on the PACT Act, we’ve added 2 new Agent Orange presumptive conditions:

High blood pressure (also called hypertension)
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)

If you think you’re eligible for VA health care and benefits, we encourage you to apply now.

What new Agent Orange presumptive locations will VA add?

We’ve added these 5 new locations to the list of presumptive locations:

Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976
Laos from December 1, 1965, through September 30, 1969
Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969
Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 30, 1980
Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977

If you served on active duty in any of these locations, we’ll automatically assume (or “presume”) that you had exposure to Agent Orange.

What new radiation presumptive locations will VA add?

We’ve added these 3 new response efforts to the list of presumptive locations:

Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, from January 1, 1977, through December 31, 1980
Cleanup of the Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons off the coast of Palomares, Spain, from January 17, 1966, through March 31, 1967
Response to the fire onboard an Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons near Thule Air Force Base in Greenland from January 21, 1968, to September 25, 1968

If you took part in any of these efforts, we’ll automatically assume (or “presume”) that you had exposure to radiation.

What burn pit and other toxic exposure conditions are now presumptive?

We’ve added more than 20 burn pit and other toxic exposure presumptive conditions based on the PACT Act. This change expands benefits for Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veterans.

These cancers are now presumptive:

Brain cancer
Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
Glioblastoma
Head cancer of any type
Kidney cancer
Lymphatic cancer of any type
Lymphoma of any type
Melanoma
Neck cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Reproductive cancer of any type
Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type

These illnesses are now presumptive:

Asthma that was diagnosed after service
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic rhinitis
Chronic sinusitis
Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
Emphysema
Granulomatous disease
Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Pleuritis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Sarcoidosis

How do I know if I have a presumptive exposure to burn pits?

If you served in any of these locations and time periods, we’ve determined that you had exposure to burn pits or other toxins. We call this having a presumption of exposure.

On or after September 11, 2001, in any of these locations:

Afghanistan
Djibouti
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Uzbekistan
Yemen
The airspace above any of these locations

On or after August 2, 1990, in any of these locations:

Bahrain
Iraq
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The airspace above any of these locations

Am I eligible for free VA health care as a post-9/11 combat Veteran?

We’re extending and expanding VA health care eligibility based on the PACT Act. We encourage you to apply, no matter your separation date. Your eligibility depends on your service history and other factors.
If you meet the requirements listed here, you can get free VA health care for any condition related to your service for up to 10 years from the date of your most recent discharge or separation. You can also enroll at any time during this period and get any care you need, but you may owe a copay for some care.

At least one of these must be true of your active-duty service:

You served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or
You served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998

And this must be true for you:

You were discharged or released on or after October 1, 2013

We encourage you to enroll now so we can provide any care you may need now or in the future. Enrollment is free.

What if I was discharged or released before October 1, 2013?

If you meet the requirements listed here, you can receive care and enroll during a special enrollment period between October 1, 2022, and October 1, 2023.

At least one of these must be true of your active-duty service:

You served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or
You served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998

And both of these must be true for you:

You were discharged or released between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, and
You haven’t enrolled in VA health care before

We encourage you to apply during this 1-year period so we can provide you with any care you may need now or in the future. Enrollment is free. And your care may be free as well.

PACT Act

NEW PACT ACT ELIGIBLE CLAIMS

Vietnam era Veteran Eligibility

Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veteran Eligibility