VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is in the middle of an awareness campaign to ensure Veterans, their families, caregivers or survivors know about the expanded care and benefits for Veterans affected by toxic exposure, and to encourage them to file a claim.
Expanded benefits
The PACT Act is a historic law that impacts generations of Veterans, and their families, by expanding access to VA benefits and health care for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This includes the addition of more than 20 new presumptive conditions related to exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances.
The Veteran-centric bill is the most significant expansion of Veteran benefits and health care in more than three decades, and it allows VA to ensure more Veterans and survivors get the care and benefits they earned.
Outreach events
Since the start of 2023, VBA has conducted 1,560 PACT Act specific awareness events across the country totaling nearly 6,000 hours. That is the equivalent of about 20 PACT Act events per day.
Want to visit an outreach event? Visit VA’s Outreach events page to look for events near you.
The events have varied from day-long claims clinics to community townhalls, and many more. Over 60,000 people have either joined one of these educational events virtually or attended in-person. At claims clinics, VA representatives are available to answer questions, assist with filing claims and help Veterans and family members understand what benefits they may be eligible for under the PACT Act. Some of the events offer toxic exposure screenings for Veterans who think they may have been exposed.
As of March 18, VA had already received more than 403,000 PACT Act-related claims and completed more than 180,000. While there is no deadline to file a claim under the PACT Act, do not wait to file a claim. If you apply for benefits before Aug. 10, 2023, and are granted service-connection for your condition, your benefits may be backdated to Aug. 10, 2022—the day the bill was signed into law.
Additional information
PACT Act outreach events will continue to occur, so if you have not attended one of the events and want to learn more about the legislation and how to file a claim, visit va.gov/PACT or visit VA’s Outreach events page to look for events near you. If you have questions about the new law and wish to speak with someone to help, you may call 1-800-MyVA411 at any time.
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My wife has always been very care giving and understanding person with my conditions. Unable to retire for economic reasons she calls me all the time to insure that I’m okay and is very comforting with her advice like keeping occupied reading the Bible. She is still dealing with my anxiety, depression my horrible dreams, forgetfulness of items and sweating and jumping in bed at night.
I’m a 100 percent vet my wife had to stop work years to care for me and cannot get approved fas a care provider what a waste of our time.
Pack needs to do away with the 12 miles rule for us blue water vets
100% combat veterans cannot have caregivers if they live in Canada! WHY???