VA healthcare benefits are a cornerstone to providing essential assistance to veterans. The care provided by the US Department of Veteran Affairs is critical in order to provide necessary care for the unique medical needs for veterans due to service-related health concerns such as combat-related injuries, mental health issues such as PTSD, and disabilities arising from time in the military. Now, the new PACT act is set to expand these benefits in order to provide increased assistance to veterans.
New PACT Act to change VA benefits
According to the official US Department of Veteran Affairs website, the new The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act (PACT) is the largest expansions to for VA healthcare ever, with the new changes specifically for veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances during military service. According to their website, PACT will bring about the following changes:
- Expands and extends eligibility for VA healthcare 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 healthcare
- Helps us improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures
Who is eligible for VA healthcare under PACT?
With the addition of PACT, it opens up opportunities for millions of veterans to apply for treatment through VA healthcare for exposure to toxic substances. If you meet the basic service and discharge requirements to receive VA healthcare, you can apply for toxic substance exposure related healthcare concerns if you meet the following criteria, according to the US Department of Veteran Affairs:
- You served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other combat zone after 9/11
- You deployed in support of the Global War on Terror
- You were exposed to toxins or other hazards during military service at home or abroad
What are toxins and hazards defined as?
The US Department of Veteran Affairs specifies that toxins and hazards can refer to exposure to burn pits, sand and dust, particulates, oil well or sulfur fires, chemicals, radiation, warfare agents, depleted uranium, herbicides, and others. This is important, as the new additions mean that veterans seeking disability benefits no longer need to prove their service caused their condition from toxic exposure.
PACT also expands eligibility for veteran survivors to receive benefits. You may be eligible for a monthly VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC) payment, a one-time accrued benefits payment, or a Survivor’s Pension.
Increasing benefit programs for veterans and their families
The addition of the PACT act adds to the ways veterans and their families and/or survivors can apply for compensation and financial assistance. The significant number of programs available to veterans is ensuring that veterans and their dependents financial stability is not forsaken due to service-related injury or death. It also helps veterans transfer from military to civilian life to make the change less overwhelming.
The Dependents’ Educational Assistance program is one program which is superficially intended to help dependents and survivors of veterans. This program provides financial assistance to veteran dependents in financing their education. Financing education is a significant concern for a large number of students, with the US federal government student loan debt currently sitting at $1.7 trillion.
To apply for the Dependents’ Educational Assistance program, you must check the qualifying criteria for both yourself and the service member. Criteria is different depending on if you are a dependent or spouse of the veteran, and it is entirely dependent on specific criteria which the service member or veteran must meet.
