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 brings 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 the VA 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.
To get a VA disability rating, your disability must connect to your military service. For many health conditions, you need to prove that your service caused your condition. But for some conditions, the VA automatically assumes (or “presumes”) that your service caused your condition “presumptive conditions.”
If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.
VA Health Care under the PACT Act: You’re eligible to enroll now—without needing to apply for disability benefits first—if you meet the basic service and discharge requirements and any of these descriptions are true for you:
▪ You served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other combat zone after 9/11, or
▪ You deployed in support of the Global War on Terror, or
▪ You were exposed to toxins or other hazards during military service at home or abroad.
Specific toxins and hazards include burn pits, sand and dust, particulates, oil well or sulfur fires, chemicals, radiation, warfare agents, depleted uranium, herbicides, and other occupational hazards. More information at www.va.gov
Diana Mangsen focuses her practice as an elder law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Largo, Dunedin and the Tampa Bay area.
For more information, visit our website at
https://www.mangsenlaw.com/
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