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.
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Scott and White, Tri-West, and VA are messing up really bad with me. Over a ER visit in April they forced on me rather than a walk-in.
My ER visit came out to $14,000 and no one wants to pay the bill. Even though it was authorized and have the authorization number.
Had to go see the Waco VAMC patient advocate to get another person as a witness and logged in. That she called both entities to resolve this. Expunged the dam bill.
I havent thrown this at the Sec of VA recently, but Im sure he is playing a part making sure my ER visit isnt paid for. So I will probably need to include the IG again in this next email. As Century Integrated Partners Inc pretends this cant be resolved with Tri-west.
The paper trail keeps growing. More ludicrous things happening to me that show felony level fraud of others. They keep telling me not to worry while this drags out, until a collection agency is involved to smear my name and damage my credit rating.
All because VA got rid of Walk-ins. Which for me has been a nightmare since April. I cant trust VA to cover a external ER visit. They didnt till now. What happens with my next ER visit?
Is respiratory illness (asthma, nodular lung disease a presumptive agent orange disability?
I would like to apply for a pact Act Benefits I am a veteran.p
what a worthless law signed by president Biden hasn’t help at all even thought BP Diabetes PTHD + part of Thailand deployment thanks for nothing
Pre-press version Federal Register Notice
August 11th 2023
Gulf War VA RAC-GWVI meeting Sept 7th, 8th 2023
—————————————————————-
Congratulations to Ed Bryan spotting this pre-press version
of the Aug 11th 2023 federal Register post. This is a first getting it
before it posted tomorrow. Even though I told everyone early last
week this was coming.
Nothing on the RAC website yet. Very frustrated with this.
There was a hint in January 2023 from the RAC that the September
2023 meeting would announce a new Gulf War benefits committee.
But, it never made it to the February meeting table. Throwing this
out there because I was in the center of the February meeting fiasco with my powerpoint presentation, and fell into assorted information.
I will be flying in and attend this meeting, my first time in DC in
over 14 years. Online GWI meetings have been a nightmare, and VA
is counting on vet staying home. Will be teaming up with others
in DC that week.
Word is UK vets have taken a interest once more. So I included them in this email.
Here you go folks, time to plan, strategy, and make travel arrangements.
Sincerely
Kirt P. Love
Director, DSBR
Former member VA ACGWV committee
————————————————————————————————
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses, Notice of Meeting
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, 5 U.S.C. ch. 10, that the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses
will meet at the Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20420 in Room 230. The meeting sessions will begin and end as follows:
Dates Times
September 7, 2023 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)
September 8, 2023 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (ET)
All sessions will be open to the public. For interested parties who cannot attend in person, this
meeting will also be available by videoconference by connecting to Webex at the following
URLs:
September 7, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (ET):
https://veteransaffairs.webex.com/veteransaffairs/j.php…
cb3d18 or join by phone: 1-833-558-0712 Toll-free; meeting number (access code): 2762 359
0372. Meeting password: RACGWVI_Day1
September 8, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (ET):
https://veteransaffairs.webex.com/veteransaffairs/j.php…
8f2a5 or join by phone: 1-833-558-0712 Toll-free; meeting number (access code): 2761 759
7780. Meeting password: RACGWVI_DAY2
The purpose of the Committee is to provide advice and make recommendations to the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs on proposed research studies, research plans, and research strategies relating
to the health consequences of military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during
the Gulf War in 1990-91.
This document is scheduled to be published in the
Federal Register on 08/11/2023 and available online at
federalregister.gov/d/2023-17274, and on govinfo.gov
The Committee will review VA program activities related to Gulf War Veterans’ illnesses and
updates on relevant scientific research published since the last Committee meeting. This meeting
will focus in part on 1) discussion of the current state of GWI case definition and scientific
strength of evidence needed for translational application and implementation, 2) new
technologies that may aid in advancing the understanding of Gulf War Illness, and 3)
deliberation of RACGWVI recommendations.
The meeting will include time reserved for public comments before the meeting closes on
September 8, 2023. Individuals who wish to address the Committee may submit a 1-2 page
summary of their comments for inclusion in the official meeting record. Members of the public
may submit written statements for the Committee’s review or seek additional information by
contacting Dr. Karen Block, Designated Federal Officer, at 202-443-5600, or at
Karen.Block@va.gov.
Dated: August 8, 2023.
LaTonya L. Small,
Federal Advisory Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-17274 Filed: 8/10/2023 8:45 am; Publication Date: 8/11/2023]
How about a story about VA not paying back-pay from time of PACT appication. I have asked about mine 2 times now, NO RESPONSE!!!
I want to file an intent to file, but I can’t find where or how to on the internet
Get a Veterans Service Officer to help you, V.F.W, American Legion ,city ,county veterans assistance, etc. There are resources out there more than the internet!
Hello to the exact same toxins. I stayed , lived and worked side by side in same areas as troops. And we all were exposed to oil fires/smoke, powder dust/dust storms and my sleeping quarters were 100 ft from privy pit. And could see, smell when privy debris was burnt with smoke going into our trailer. So where do we go? I also lived and worked at several Army Air bases with office, and quarters next to flightline, helicopters landing pad. Was even near where an Apache crashed and they extinguished it. All on base got our water to drink, shower, cook or clean with… from same source near air field/ helipads. Please tell me where do I apply. I have medical conditions and went through Landstuhl for medical check because of weird symptoms. I lived 2 times in Korea, where the water and air quality was bad. If you don’t know will you forward to several offices in DOD and OPM. Who can answer what deployed DOD civilians do for all the exposures of toxins the military or vets are being covered in claims for. In Ft Bragg, they extended flame retardants and other toxins claims of civilians working on/near the bases. I really appreciate your help in finding the right answers for me, a person raised and then my entire career was spent on bases and deployed overseas, and remote locations during desert storm and shield. Your help comes at a perfect time, as I get near to retiring. I was never a Vet, but it has been an honor working and serving those who serve… side by side in some of the most hostile places and times for the last 50+ yrs. God bless, K. Williams.
I don’t know if it’s worth it to be honest, took 7 years from start to finish (of my appeal), only reason my claim got done is I found a guy who helped me out (finally). Even he had a hard time (VA would give me a percentage for this but take away a percentage for that, then they would give me back my percentage for this but take away another percentage. Even in the end the A-holes only gave me 90% with individual unemployability for life, if I have that for life and I’m (technically) rated at 100% then why not just give me 100% instead of 90% with IU. The guy that helped me even said after it was all said and done, that the VA said “don’t contact us, we won’t contact you”, leaving me to believe if I ever contact them again they will take away my rating. Thank god I served and that’s how I got treated like a burden, now I find out I have pulmonary sarcoidosis which is one thing caused by the burn pits no questions asked/no proof needed. Is it worth the risk of having my benefits taken away by trying to add this to my file, god help me if I lose my benefits I’ll be homeless in a week without my 90% w/IU. I don’t think I’ll get any back pay since technically I’m 100% right now anyway, the VA: giving veterans another chance to die for their country. ROFLMAO
You should contact your county veterans’ service officer about your situation.
Really, I would contact a lawyer with your situation. I know of guys who sued and have negotiated monthly compensation beyond the general scale.
I’m in Mexico just finding out about the VAPACT. Today I am trying to sign in but the VA wont take my Mexican cell phone as a secure line. So I am unable to begin a claim from here and will miss an August 9th deadline. I am traveling up to San Diego next week see the VA office in Mission Valley. Keep me posted.
I implore everyone to utilize their local VSOs-Veteran Service Organizations, to file claims, ask questions, get registered, etc… Each state has these auxiliaries and are there to help you get answers, file claims and work through challenges. The service organizations are the DAV, VVA, VFW, American Legion, Marine Corp League, Purple Heart, etc… You need to go through these orgs to file because they know what they are doing and can do the heavy lifting for you. Don’t be discouraged, just do your homework and research and you will find your answers.
Some protest to much but all agree that a straight forward answer is lacking and given the DC mentality might be an impossibility. My doctor filed to shift from my paying for the meds to be covered under the act but the question of payments started and disability arose: BUT not that of treatment categories. I see some outstanding people at the VA facilities and they too have unanswered questions.
The web site is a wonder as you go in loops repeatedly be asked to sign from the sign in. .
Part 2 of my post———————————–
By this point, its clear to me none of this is a accident. VA is trying to kill me in
several ways. Negligence, stress, and a host of situations to just make it too hard
for me to live or pay my bills. Everything around me is bizarre, and Im stuck with
40% inflation. My house doubled in value in one year. Its a rat trap, its damn sure
not worth $155,000 all of a sudden.
I know Sec of VA Denis McDonough knows who I am. He does not want any of the
things Ive proposed. Gulf war benefits / healthcare advisory committee, before and
after genomic sequencing of GWI vets, Toxic Exposure Pathology Center, change
PL 105-368 to make it current, change CFR 38 ss3.317 presumptions, fix the EH
registries including the Burn Pit, and give Gulf war vets a permanent soap box in
DC to discuss our plights. The list is much longer than this.
He wants all this to fail. He wants the VA RAC-GWVI to work in secret. He wants
to wait us out. He wants me so miserable I succumb to health issues and then he
is rid of his problems. The man is a coward, and worse. Has been for me since Feb
2022 when this all started with him.
Ive got a hell of a story to tell here, 26 years of things you would not believe. I was
world famous in 2003 for opposing Bush on troops to Iraq. Served on my own VA
federal advisory committee in 2008. Kicking and screaming each years after that
was things just got worse. Sec of VA Eric Shinseki guts the RAC in 2013, and makes
hideous decisions until his resignation from office. None of which are corrected.
Making GWI plight worse each year.
I smoked VA RAC in Feb 2023, and my powerpoint drew attention to many things
including the PAC act. VA’s answer to this? Shut down the VA RAC as of March 2023
and run silent since then. Cut vets out of the equation completely. Really?
Sec of VA Denis McDonough is behind all this, he is a terrible Secretary and a devious
person taking us all down the rabbit hole with him. Tens of thousands of Gulf war vets
have been ruled against because the Pact act cant help them. The language is wrong
and Secretary knows it. Its a sham for us. He used his government position to punish
me personally, to avoid any accountability. Play me down.
Where is the justice in all this?
After getting published in the news as a PACT act critic, things started
going wrong. VA is punishing me for being a whistleblower.
First my website Gulflink.org came under attack, and Google
claims it cant find it any more as of Dec 2022. No matter what I did with
Google they kept claiming they could not index my website. Pretty sure
VA complained and had it banned from Google. Making much of me
vanish form the web. 23 years of work became invisible.
Then after the Stars and Stripes article over the VA RAC Hawaii meeting
in February media pulled back on any veteran articles. All of Texas
media and then AP, NPR, and big writers. No matter how much I gave
them they would not talk about the PACT act in a negative way.
Sec of VA came to Texas the same day as the Feb 2023 RAC meeting
so I could not face him in public. He came here to do damage control
and play up the PACT act and the Burn Pit Registry. Of which I had
shown in a report of the 317,000 Registry applications only 30,000
saw actual medical exams, 9% over 8 years. Tried to talk about it many
places including the War Horse Symposium:
https://www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs/posts/1235358617108809/?paipv=0&eav=AfbJItSOQTvXPJjeqiNCvW-0X7Pzhg-0aYvIqzy9jk55CRQoT5XeJdB7ibdWuGKgCkg&_rdr
Only avenue I had to fight back was public comments of local papers
after they interviewed the Sec of VA. Papers would not even let me post
a opinion column. I realized they had become state sponsored and none
were going to give veterans a chance to comment unless its pro government.
They were not going to allow anyone to be a critic of the PACT act.
I had applied for PACT act Benefits at Waco regional. Several times. But,
each person I dealt with was darker than the last. After going down the
list, nothing was going to help me. Unless I had a terminal cancer, it did
not apply for Gulf war vets. Loopholes.
I had done every registry exam, WRIISC exam, toxic exposure screening. They
failed me over a year. I complained at every step to Sec of VA Denis McDonough
and his office would acknowledge they got my emails. Never wrote to me, he
never responded to me directly – ever. But, his staff certainly took it out on
the Temple and Waco VAMC’s that handled me. In return these people called
me asking why I put the Sec of VA on them, I hadnt. It was about how policy was
handled at 810 Vermont street. Both local VAMC’s knew I was writing him and
VA would flinch.
Then I nearly died in April. Contracted pneumonia. Tried to do a walkin, and
the Waco VAMC literally escorted me out of the building. Turned me away
to the local ER at Scott and White. Drove over dazed, and went in. Took all
day to figure out what all was going on. Im calling the 72 hour notice number
over and over in the ER trying to get this approved. Drove home without meds.
Drove to the Temple ER Saturday only to get a traffic ticket in McGregor for
running a stop sign on a back road. Bastard cop was teasing me. Got my meds
at the Temple VAMC and slept the weekend.
Each month TriWest would send me letters showing these bills had not been
paid. It was authorized, approved, and then they just ignored it. $13,000 in
one and $1,400 in the other. Said I wasnt responsible but they didnt pay it.
Come August, here comes a bill stating in it “denial based on adverse benefit
determination”. In truth, they didnt submit it it correctly and the authorization
number. So they expected me to pay it. I put Triwest on the phone with Century
Integrated partners, Inc who did not seem to understand what we wanted after
a hour – like this was my fault.
Ive been trying to get VA cardiology to admit I have a heart problem. For a year
Ive been through the gambit. Halter monitors up to several weeks. Only after I
bought my own ECG did I get a result showing them Im throwing PVC’s through
out the day. Theyve let my heart condition get worse claiming Im fine.
Part 1——————–
Your seminars are impossible to attend. Everything else works fine with the VA. But the informational seminars? You know why you have no one in attendance? Your freaking software.
Oh, my name. Hell no. What the freak is yours? My orders from freaking military and va government employees are OVER. Enjoy your extreme benefits and pay while the people that served and their families suffer everyday because you are THAT BAD
I need help regeristering, I can’t get the site to accept my info
Great article. Now where is a direct link to the form one has to fill out???
I was at Camp Lejeune 1977 to 1978 but have no medical issues at this time should I file a claim for anything that comes up in the future now or later
Does this include the Panama Veterans who served there from August 1968 to March 1970? Any info would help. I already email your office but never recieved a response.
Been waiting 4 years for my disability claim review. It’s so sad that Vets have to wait so long.
Please have someone contact me. I am a Vietnam Vet. I do not understand the paperwork I just received on my last test. Nor will anyone explain it to me. I am 75 years old and do not understand the last appeal letter I got. I spent a year in the 25th infantry division. (68-69). I have a lot of issues. Not sure they are being addressed properly??? I was exposed to Agent Orange daily. (Cu Chi). I have left messages and no one returns my call. The VA site is depressing.
Hello Thomas. Not sure what state you are in, but I would like to offer some assistance to you. Did you file your initial claim via a claims rep/VSO-DAV, VVA, VFW, American Legion? If you did you should be able to go back to them and they should be able to assist you with refiling. I you did not, find a local service organization in your area and file through them. DO NOT try to refile or file on your own, the process can be overwhelming and you may miss some important points. Also, do not go through an attorney, they can take up to 30% of your back pay as a fee. Vet service organizations are free. Here is a link where you can look up some VSO’s-https://www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp
VA and the Secretary of VA Denis McDonough have spent the last year avoiding everything I posted about the PACT act gone wrong.
I even did a presentation before a VA federal advisory committee in February that I outlined some of this. A article in local paper about the loopholes in this law. Stars and Stripes about the committee meeting failures.
Here it is August 2023 and after filing with VA the PACT act did ZERO to help me. I’ve said how thousands won’t get help with Gulf war aspects of this law. That the burn pit registries are a farce.
Over and over I’ve been proven right this last year while the Sec of VA dodges me. He blows off each request with him. To go on promoting like all is well. It’s not.
The PACT act needs revision. We need a Toxic Exposure Pathology Center to collect real medical evidence and help with C&P exams.
The House and Senate subcommittees have failed to keep up with any of this. They don’t answer phones or care about the vets any more.
The service groups have failed us, as they allow this to fail. They don’t push the House and Senate either.
Gulf war vets have been betrayed and Sec of VA Denis McDonough knew the whole time. Planned for it to fail to save money. Give the illusion it works, and drag out our plight even further.
Where is the justice here?
trying to file a claim with the PACT act ,but not having any luck. How can I talk with a live person? I’m 76 and a Vietnam vet and have a hard time with computer stuff. Mike Omstead Thank you
I submitted my PACT Act claim for hypertension due to Agent Orange exposure several months ago. My evaluation was approved with no accompanying benefit. Since this is a presumptive condition which was not covered in my original claim, why am I not getting the benefits I deserve?
Hello Mike, go to to your nearest service organization-VVA, VFW, American Legion, DAV, Marine Corp League, etc… and file through them. They will know exactly how to get the process going for you and get you the benefits you deserve.
Does the PACT act included for veterans who were exposed to Asbestos exposure?
You should be able to file a claim with your VSO for asbestos. Many folks have had respiratory issues as a result of exposure to asbestos. Especially in the Navy working on the ships. Talk to your local VSO and file a claim through them.