Let’s face it, the VA claims process can be overwhelming at time. As a Veteran who works for VA, I sometimes get overwhelmed with the claims process myself. Luckily, VA has experts who can help.
What is the PACT Act?
The PACT Act is the law officially known as the “Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022.” The new law fulfills President Biden’s top priority of addressing military environmental exposures and keeping our nation’s promise to care for Veterans who suffer from those conditions and their survivors.
The PACT Act is one of the largest health and benefit expansions in VA history. It recognizes toxic exposure as a “cost of war” by addressing the full range of issues impacting toxic-exposed Veterans, ensuring generations of Veterans who suffer from toxic exposure-related conditions get the benefits and care they’ve earned. This new law also expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam era, Gulf War era, and Post-9/11 era.
The Claim Process
Astrid Perez is director of the VA Hartford regional office, and she shared that Veterans do not have to receive a toxic exposure screening before submitting a PACT Act claim.
If a Veteran submits a claim for a condition related to PACT Act and is found eligible, depending on the evaluation for the condition or multiple conditions, a Veteran can be entitled to numerous benefits such as:
- Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits, which help with job training, education, employment accommodations, resume development and job-seeking skills.
- Assistance in starting a personally owned business.
- Independent living services for those severely disabled and unable to work in traditional employment.
- VA health care.
Here is the latest PACT Act Performance Dashboard, which monitors VA’s progress on PACT Act claims.
Perez, who has been with VBA for 33 years, finds her career satisfaction in serving Veterans. When asked what last-minute advice she had for Veterans, she said, “Submit your claim. Even if you are a younger Veteran who has not had any symptoms from toxic exposure, get a screening and get added to the registry.”
Upcoming PACT Act deadlines
To mark the first anniversary of the signing of the PACT Act on Aug. 10, VA is hosting Summer VetFest awareness events across the country, emphasizing making Veterans aware of two upcoming PACT Act deadlines.
- Aug. 9, 2023. VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim—or submit their intent to file a claim—for PACT Act-related benefits now. Veterans who do so on or before Aug. 9 may have their benefits (if granted) backdated to Aug. 10, 2022, the day that President Biden signed the bill into law.
- Sept. 30, 2023. Are you a Veteran who deployed to a combat zone and never enrolled in VA health care? If you were discharged or released between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, you may be eligible to enroll now during a special enrollment period. But act fast—the deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2023.
At the events, VA staff will be ready to help Veterans apply for PACT Act-related benefits, enroll in VA health care, get screened for toxic exposures and more. Find a Summer VetFest event near you by clicking here.
If you can’t make it to a Summer VetFest event in your area, learn more by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MYVA411.
