In one of the largest-ever expansions of Veteran health care, all Veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards during military service—at home or abroad—are now eligible for VA health care.
At the direction of President Biden, VA is expanding health care eligibility to millions of Veterans, including all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other combat zone after 9/11, years earlier than called for by the PACT Act. These Veterans will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.
Additionally, Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States will also be eligible to enroll.
This expansion of VA health care eliminates the phased-in approach called for by the PACT Act, meaning that millions of Veterans are becoming eligible for VA health care up to eight years earlier than written into law.
VA encourages all eligible Veterans to visit the Pact Act website or VA.gov/PACT, or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and apply for VA health care, beginning March 5. Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law on Aug. 10, 2022, more than 500,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care.
“Once you’re in, you have access for life.”
“If you’re a Veteran who may have been exposed to toxins or hazards while serving our country, at home or abroad, we want you to come to us for the health care you deserve,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “VA is proven to be the best, most affordable health care in America for Veterans. And once you’re in, you have access for life. So don’t wait, enroll today.”
“Beginning today, we’re making millions of Veterans eligible for VA health care years earlier than called for by the PACT Act,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “With this expansion, VA can care for all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror or any other combat zone after 9/11. We can also care for Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty here at home while working with chemicals, pesticides, lead, asbestos, certain paints, nuclear weapons, x-rays and more. We want to bring all of these Veterans to VA for the care they’ve earned and deserve.”
Enroll directly in VA care without applying for VA benefits
In addition to expanding access to VA care, this decision makes it quicker and easier for millions of Veterans to enroll. Many Veterans believe they must apply to receive VA disability compensation benefits to become eligible for VA health care, but this isn’t correct.
With this expansion and other authorities, millions of eligible Veterans can enroll directly in VA care without any need to first apply for VA benefits.
This is a critical step forward because Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care are proven to have better health outcomes than non-enrolled Veterans, and VA hospitals have dramatically outperformed non-VA hospitals in overall quality ratings and patient satisfaction ratings.
And VA health care is often more affordable than non-VA health care for Veterans.
How to apply for VA health care
Veterans can apply for VA health care:
- Online at https://www.va.gov/health-care/apply/application/introduction
- By calling our toll-free hotline at 877-222-8387, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
- By mailing their completed Application for Heath Care Benefits (VA Form 10-10EZ) to:
Health Eligibility Center
2957 Clairmont Rd., Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30329
- In person by visiting their nearest VA medical center or clinic.
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My husband died in 2004 after
battling liver cancer for 2 years
totally shocking diagnosis he didn’t
smoke nor abuse alcohol. He suffered for 2 years and I am learning of contamination of the
water at Army base he served on
in 1970’s Fort Riley in Kansas are
settlements being addressed to
these people who served their country and died due to this H2O
contamination at this base is this being addressed
I need know is my my file for sue us governments orange agent cause my health problem and cause me born deaf because damage my nerve ear. Also I saw that my hero Dad thomas Andrew mantle was hard work for usa and now orange agent killer my hero Dad s lungs and body fast pass away September 5 th 2017 time die 947 am .
I am a senior citizen who served in the marines and was exposed to agent orange and toxics at camp Lejeune.I have been with V.A health care for several years now and am required to pay higher co-pays than i normally have to pay to see a Doctor on medicare.In addition I have three nexus letters from Doctors from the University of Florida and one At the V.A stating my medical problems are directly linked to my exposures in service but yet your benefits department for years have delayed — denied an waiting until i die to resolve. Do not mislead Veterans to believe you plan on taking care of them as history has shown you frankly could care less if we live or die
I want to see veterans that worked as DOD Government or contractors in Desert Storm or the later Gulf Wars or other combat zones be eligible to enroll in the VA based on that. Why not? Not only were they former military veterans but they later as civilians supported the military in hostile areas and were also exposed to toxins. At least they should be covered medically by the VA. I propose that those involved get organized
I was one of those there during Desert Storm. For 34 years I’ve felt this was somewhat a hard pill to swallow not being able to use the VA like our active duty military serving there. I could never turn to the VA because I was a civilian in the combat zone. I think there are many of us out there that can use VA healthcare.
I propose that all Department of Defense contractors and government DOD employees that served in these combat zone areas mentioned be eligible for VA healthcare enrollment as given to all military veterans exposed to toxins if these are true.
1. Must have served under honorable conditions in any part of the Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserves
2. Must have worked in support of the U.S. military as a DOD contractor or government employee for a minimum of 30 days using the same criteria used for military.
3. Can prove through documentation, photos, contract agreements time in country
under the Camp Lejeune water problem how much exposure time does it take to qualify for benefits as an exposure ?
30 days but not sure for enrollment purposes as this new expansion came into effect. I was in Lejeune 14 days ADT.
hi , my benefits started only for when the pact act went into law , you say it can be started 8 years prior , how do i do this ?
Radiation contamination exposure while on nuclear submarine in 1960s
You have to have a disease that is recorded by several private doctors and paperwork to match before applying for anything above a hearing aid. We owe our Vets Everything, but we are not getting anything.
This is all well and good, but… I have issues stemming from burn pits I got during the Cold War, however, because I was not serving in a Hot War Zone, despite that I was a Field Artillery Officer and did burn pits before every march order, (usually the OIC) my service exposure to those toxins, my asthma is not recognized as Service Connected. The sht I went through as far as the terrorists, including proximity to the Baader-Meinhoff Gang is not even recognized.
Here you go confusing people. This is about being able to enroll due to toxins exposure. Now you throw in Cold War over Hot War and this has beans to do with this. Your claim story is a different story.
I was exposed to MULTIPLE toxic substances during my 4-year enlistment – some of which the VA has not yet acknowledged.
What of THOSE hazards and what of those symptoms?
I was on board a U.S. Navy fighting ship during the Viet Nam War on the east coast and exposed to asbestos and have applied but have heard nothing. I was exposed to lots of this stuff.
The PACT Act is being expanded by Sleepy Joe Biden. Is this in compliance with the law? Did Congress approve of this with new legislation? If so, what law was passed to authorize this?
It doesn’t matter. He passed it and you must like it. Seriously. What who when cares? What do you intend to do about it?
I’m 100% disabled combat veteran so what else I’m doing to get ??????
I’m already getting Healthcare and compensation !!!@@@!
If you are a 100 percent combat veteran then why are you even on this comment board. Be humble and thankful for the blessing you received as there are millions who do not have that privilege.
I have heard nothing about Atomic Radiation and I was involved in that in 1957.
I was advised to be tested and called the number on the sheet I was given and no one seemed to know anything about a test.
Please advise what to do.
Thanks
After putting in several claims and applying for care and benefits I keep
Getting turned down and missed diagnosed for an issue you claim that this the best health
Care. This is not true when paperwork is submitted you send out third party notices that someone will review medical records on file without examining the person and turning down the veterans claim. How can a person or how many times does a person have to put in for care and benefits the way you have this system is set up is a joke. It seems that the veteran is wasting his or her time doing so.
How about the Service members who served in Beirut Lebanon 1982-84 and Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury 1983 these service members dealt with the same hazards as the operations and Wars before and after that has been listed.
I called the VA. If you served in the years of 1982 thru 1986 they consider that peace time, even though you were in the middle east or Operation Urgent Fury. So this will help millions just not you.
I’m curious too. Ive read the eligibility for the Pact Act over and over and from what I have read, this should include ALL VETERANS EXPOSED TO TOXINS WHILE SERVING OUR COUNTRY in ADDITION TO THOSE THAT NEVER DEPLOYED AS PART OF A CONFLICT INCLUDING ACTIVE DUTY, ACTIVE DUTY FOR TRAING AND INACTIVE DUTY FOR TRAINING.
Wartime service only was never highlighted or mentioned. I’m reading this that all 17 million veterans including Guard and Reserve Components are potentially eligible if they can prove they served around toxins or contaminated bases. (Which they all are technically). How strict the criteria will be is anyone’s guess.
I also saw wording to the likes of…IF YOU MEET BASIC SERVICE AND DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS…yet also saw wording that WHAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE LIKELY TO GAIN THESE BENEFITS? And. EXPOSURE TO TOXINS was mentioned as was VA disability which nulls or supersedes the minimum 24 consecutive months requirements.
So the VA can play with words to their liking, so if you never go and TRY TO ENROLL because you don’t believe you are eligible, you will never find out so go there and state your claim anyway. I never thought I could get into the VA with my claim and I tried and I won. So I’m in. I want to see all veterans get in too.
How do you read this?
[Editor: Please do not copy and paste the same comment multiple times. Our spam blocker routed it to trash.]
Well, a decade ago I went to the VA to be tested for Agent Orange (from Vietnam). There wasn’t a ‘test’ but more of a question answer session. In addition, I asked about hearing aids due to my combat activities in Viet Nam that has left me with tinnitus. My ears have rung since coming home in 1970. Even being DEROSed, during the exit exam the hearing tech, comparing my entry into the military to the then returning said ‘man Vietnam wasn’t kind to you’. But they said no Agent Orange symptoms, and nothing at all was done about my hearing. So that is my experience with the VA. I haven’t been back to the VA since then.
Just go to the V.A. hospital and sign up for an appointment for Audiology, this may require going to a window and sighing up for a card. I have nothing provable (so far) yet they cheerfully tested me and provided hearing aids adequate to cover my tinnitus and hearing loss. I also go in for regular checkups and prescriptions. I chose to neither claim disability status nor low income so I pay the “high rate” for co-pays. [Yes, I get along with my “free” hearing aids just fine.]
VA GOV have to explain all veterans, if you still active either national guard or reserve you cannot get enroll in the PACT ACT, because that happened to me at my nearest va facility and there is no explanation of that anywhere.
What are the symptoms?
Folks
Please keep your politics and your hateful political agenda off of here. Biden does not do our medical exams and he does not work alone, often being over- ruled by others. Remember Congress and the Senate? Remember majority vote and veto power?
There is a whole mega community entangled in making these decisions and rendering our care. Make sure you’re registered to vote and vocalize there. Thank you
Thank you for posting this. Folks need to grow up and stop misplacing their grievances.
“Enroll directly in VA care without applying for VA benefits”
Because VA has no desire to pay benefits for toxic exposure to all who are affected.
I get what you’re saying but medical care at VA equates to saving big bucks. It cost like 15k to get images and diagnosis. Surgeries even more. Cancer treatments or whatever. VA Healthcare is premiums free and meeting deductibles.
I’m a Vietnam Era veteran exposed in Korea to toxins in 1974/1975. The original PACT ACT has a cap of 1971 toxic exposure in Korea. Does this NEW change to the PACT ACT help vets exposed after 1971?
This is bS. I’ve been trying and I can’t even get a primary dr.
When you say health care, what does that include? Dental, eyes, Rx and health visits?
If I am already receiving medical care through the VA in Maine, do I still need to enroll if I was exposed to toxic chemicals?
No. If you’re enrolled, you’re in. You should have had a screening for toxins by now if you use the VA. Nothing more than a few simple questions.
Why is it that the Vietnam veterans exposed to human waste burning and chemical agents and as a result developed copd which is a presumptive for the desert storm personal and can file a claim but not the Vietnam Vets?
The VA is short staffed now so even if your would now be covered for these past toxin exposures, you would have a hard time getting an appointment yo see someone. This really is a joke.
My son served in Iraq in 2005. What priority (1 – 8) would he be assigned to without a service connected disability?
For example, I am assigned to 6 with agent orange exposure in Viet Nam.
6 priority group
I am a Viet Nam vet that has MGUS. I have had this condition for years. Under the Patriot Act, MUGS is an Agent Orange issue.
However, when I sent in a claim to the VA, I was denied. Is there another condition that a vet needs to have along with MGUS.
Does the VA compensate just for MGUS.
I SERVED 21 MONTHS IN THE VIET NAM WAR ZONE DURING 4 DEPLOYMENTS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE BUT HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE LADY FROM THE 6TH FLOOR AT THE Long Beach VA. SHE SAW MY DD214 AND SAW THAT I HAD RECEIVED 4 VIET NAM SERVICE METALS, 1 THE METAL AND 3 BRONZE STARS.AND SHE TOLD ME MORE THAN LIKELY I HAD BEEN EXPOSED. MY PRIMARY DR. ASKED IF SHE WAS A DR. I TOLD HIM HE WORKS THERE, HE SHOULD KNOW . AFTER MANY VISITS WITH DIFFERENT ILLNESS AND
GOTTEN NO WHERE WITH THE OGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE DISABILITY AND SEVERAL TURN DOWNS. I ASKED IF I COULD BE TESTED FOR EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE AND HE TOLD ME THERE ISN’T A TEST FOT THAT. I’VE BEEN WORKING WITH VSO AND AMVETS FOR ABOUT EST. ABOUT 3 YEARS. I DON’T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN.
VA healthcare surpasses any healthcare offered in the world. With twenty one years of military service, and international travel, I have seen many hospitals and healthcare systems. As a Veteran, I wholeheartedly trust the VA system. Many Veterans believe VA should be privatized-That would be giving the Fox the keys to the Chickens. VA providers have no stake in the game. No matter how many Veterans are cared for, their income remains the same. Your health and best interest is at heart, not how much profit is made from your illness. There may be a long wait for return appointments, the wait is worth it. I prefer a VA provider any day. Especially the ones who are also Veterans. Trust in the VA. Thank you VA providers!
Well said ?!! Marvalee.
I have been all over the world. The VA is not the best far from it. Some va facilities provide good care in a timely manner others don’t. Mileage varies. What I would say is if you are outside the driving distance of a VA facility you have to fight for everything and meet denials and delays at every turn.
I hope you’re right for I am awaiting word for a hernia repair at the VA. I’m almost two months into this between imaging and appointments. Hope this hernia doesn’t bust.
What type of benefit should I expect to receive from this new pack at?
I am a Vietnam veteran from 1966 to 1974. I served in Utapao, Thailand, Cam Ranh Bay Vietnam, Charleston, South Carolina Langley. It is airbase and Hampton, Virginia headquarters of bowling field as part of my job in the Air Force. I was up a fire fighter and crash rescue and we dealt with a triple F all the time so far nobody’s been able to tell me if I’m going to receive any benefits if I qualified to receive any benefits via my AFSC and my duration and permit change of duty stations so if you could get back to me and let me know if I’m eligible for any additional benefits thank you
I was a helicopter pilot in RVN in III Corps. Our unit flew men and materials to landing areas where dust and debris became airborne due to rotor wash. Agent Orange was likely also a component of airborne material. I was treated in March 2016 for an obstructed carotid artery. Other circulatory obstructions are listed as caused by agent orange,but not the carotid artery. This seems like an odd omission. Has the PACT act been more inclusive with particular issue?
Does VA know about this? Why am I still being rejected for asbestos?
I served a board a replenisher in the Navy. We were exposed to jet fuel during numerous UNREPs I have tremors which they say is a side affect of exposure, no luck getting confirmation or even treatment. Another issue is my Medicare is $19980.00 a year, apparently that is classed at level 7 for in come and have $50.00 copay on some VA an all Non VA doctor visits. REALLY
I mentioned Medicare where i should have said my Social Security for income
How do we know what toxins we were exposed to if there not listed anywhere?
I CANNOT REMEMBER MY PASSWORD.
This is very interesting. I already am a member of the V.A. in West Palm Beach V.A. Hospital. Does this change my benefits I am already receiving? I was Boots on the Ground in Vietnam in 1968/1969. Where I was located there was no foliage, grass or trees – just dirt and mud. We were next to the P.O.W. compound which was surrounded by barrels containing who knows what. I am applying through the PACT for benefits. Coming home in 1970 there wasn’t much. Better late than never I guess.
Agree with you wholeheartedly. I have a bad trigger point when it comes to Community Care and the 1 month rule of treatment. I am still waiting over a month for in-house treatment many of which I can’t get unless I have a 100% rating. Well I had a lovely doc from the Punjab do my disability eval with his plastic range of motion ruler and deemed that Zi did not deserve 100%. Haven’t been able to work since 2001. A Rheumatologist I saw last year who is on contract to come here to the VA hospital once a month, never called me back. They don’t give us proper contact numbers to reach these people. Osteoporosis treatment took 9 months and only after I did the follow up to 3 different areas: primary care, pharmacy, community care Endocrinologist. First supposedly wrong med prescribed, no one did anything. I call to get the order rewritten. Nothing done. Call primary care and pharmacy, OK who does what? Well supposedly SOMEBODY has to transcribe any orders from Community Care docs into the VA system and that somebody didn’t do it. Then complain to the Patient Advocate. Then get crap because you complain.
Complain over and over again, I feel like I’m wearing heavy boots when I’m in slippers or flips flops. Get ignored. Complain I’m having numbness. Get ignored. Have to go to the VA hospital 100 miles away to complain again, Get an MRI, OMG, need urgent surgery, this is in July. No one discussed results until August, didn’t get surgery until October. But no one intervenes, I’m told I have to get on Community Care’s ass to make them do their job. I was fully ambulatory, now I have to use a walker because I’ve been crippled by the delay. Have severe neuropathy both legs, they won’t refer me to the spine clinic because I don’t qualify. So what’s the difference between a combat spine problem or a spine problem that evolved on the job from carrying litters- does that disqualify me? Now have difficulty dressing, showering, walking. Experiencing severe neuropathies in both legs: stabbing, burning, ice cold, frying hot, piercing, feel wetness on my legs when they are dry BUT I must be making it up. Don’t qualify for pain management but their philosophy is to kill people with gabapentin because they’re not going to prescribe low dose narcotics or even incorporate pain management into your care. You can have your nerves chemically burned though.
We detected a cardiac anomaly on your perfusion study. OK that’s last year again and we’re in Mar of 2024, still no diagnosis or treatment plan and the diagnostic tests have been a month and a half apart. Still waiting for 1 test/study at the end of April. Guess I’ll go ahead and reserve that grave plot at the VA cemetery.
That is great and they deserve care but making the decision without revolutionary change at the VA is a recipe for EVEN MORE Low Quality Care.
The VA can’t even keep up with what they have and their only saving grace Community Care they sabotage in multiple ways because of greed and delusional thinking.
Community Care needs to be taken over completely by a contractor with no VA control and separate funding from Congress wityh REAL Transparency and quality outcomes real time measurement.
Without VA control or strings attached they will not be constantly hamstringing them.
Triwest and Optum maybe could accomplish this with strict effective control to prevent any unofficial biases.
Reassign offices of Community Care to other tasks or even other government agencies.
I suspect if this was put into place all those surveys that say Veterans prefer VA Care over Community Care would be proven false.
A Non-VA controlled Community Care and separate funding and leadership would stop the sabotaging of Community Care.
For example:
* On boarding new providers in weeks not a year.
* A Real database that list ALL providers (The current one is grossly inaccurate on purpose)
* Streamlining processes (currently even when there is availibility the VA drags it’s feet on purpose)
* Real time quality outcomes and Veteran Feedback on providers (currently none)
* No more VA Community Care Darlings that do the VA’s evil bidding and get preference.
* Eliminate all fax machines (another excuse for them to drag their feet and claim they never received paperwork when really thye drag their feet scanning in faxes and outdated technology and obsolete.
* I could go on and on. I’ve been in healthcare 30 years and I can clearly see the VA wants Community Care to fail and look bad despite their marketing (lies) machine’s attempt to make Veterans and the public believe all is well. Veterans get up and organize at each healthcare facility with discipline and network with other facilities and forward thinking organizations like CVA Concerned Veterans of America.
*Incremental changes is not enough. It just gives the VA time to figure out how to circumvent each and every change made through legislations as well as secretly changing their own policies.
Why is the VA allowed to act as if they are a separate country??? We need Real Leaders in DC with backbones and Veterans using VA Care need to organize and not sit back and think organizations like the DAV support them when they parrot the same rehetoric the VA Marketing machine spits out.
Contractors are the worst enemy for health care. They only look at profit without look out for your benefit. I don’t know what healthcare program you have been with. If it provided a great service, I would like to know who they are. The one’s that I know and have dealt with, tell you that you are not sick or you donot need this Rx.
Does the act cover MS
My Uncle which is a 75 year old Veteran served in 1968-1974 in a much different generation and service environment for the health care of our Uniformed Service Members. His 6-years was all Army National Guard with a few domestic activations resulting in a DD-214. His MOS was as a Mortar Technician. In those years he was exposed to several toxins such as: asbestos, lead, hazardous chemicals and sprays, polluted waters (Manassas Flood), sun as well as other duty related exposures which went unprotected during those past years.
Under the above signed Expansions of Veteran’s Health Care, would my uncle (which I’m a 3rd Party Official) be eligible for Veteran’s Health Care Coverage and to access a military installation and/or facility also would he be eligible for an Identification Card to access those area’s and which type ID?
Thanks,
Carl R. Hill on behalf of Charlie M. Hutchison (both Veteran’s)
Mr. Carl Hill, was Charlie ever in CFB Gagetown for training? There’s an emerging controversy about the use of tactical herbicides like Agent Orange and Agent White on the Canadian base. Reservists from Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut returned from Gagetown as if they’d been to Vietnam.
I’ve been fighting with the VA over my sleep apnea second to tinnitus and have been told that I can’t prove it is service connected even though I was diagnosed with tinnitus in service. Because civilian DR’S wouldn’t right a nexus letter stating that my tinnitus could be the cause of my sleep apnea. I just don’t understand how the VA has all these fliers stating that sleep apnea can be secondary to tinnitus and then keep denying me after going to two different DR’S both stating that I have severe sleep apnea!!!
I have to remind our veterans that that person that decides who gets approved is just a civilian staff that really don’t care about your illness. Example my friend who ids a LT was not in Vietnam. Who build roads. We both claimed lost of hearing. I was a Jet Crew Chief with ringing in the ears. They gave him 20% old age and being around Helos. I get 10% claiming the same compensation.
I wrote a complaint to the VA in DC about the caring deficit of doctors who never been in the military. More critical then that they have never been in a war. As a result, they don’t have a clue about what a war veteran is all about. Seems as if these are the employees that I run into in VA Baltimore. My mine has been off balance since I’ve been home from Vietnam in 1970. Even the mental health clinic is staffed with the same. So, AMEN to your statement.
Being eligible for healthcare with the VA is just the beginning of what becomes a continual frustration in trying to actually receive treatment. There was no problem for me getting approved as a 100% service connected annuitant. Plenty of documentation of my exposure to agent orange as well as biological and chemical exposure when we were used as guinea pigs during operation Autumn Gold in 1963. The problem is that they operate like an HMO and you can never get a timely appointment. Community Care operates in a world of red tape and also creates frustration. I am proud of my 7 years of service and believe that I earned and should now be allowed to receive timely medical care when needed. The reality is that it doesn’t happen! Fund the VA properly and also allow veterans to use providers in their community without begging and being restricted by the whim of some never seen person who doesn’t care about you. 80 year old veterans shouldn’t have to drive 80 miles for healthcare and wait months for an appointment.
This message needs to reach all Veterans. Not just those on line. There are those who aren’t connected., that need this information.
J. W. Laubscher
What about those of us who serve as permanent party at Ft.McCellan, Al which was the home of the chemical school for decades before moving to Ft Lost in the woods (My engineering home) that was exposed to all kinds of agents, radiation from past training and of course the WW1 chemical shells being decommissioned to which I serve on a reaction force in case of emergency. I was there from 1988-1990 and now have a lot of health problem that could be tied to my time there be VA have turned me down saying since I wasn’t in Nam or the Atom bomb testing it doesn’t count, yet the post was a superfund cleanup site by the EPA for all the toxins, chemical, and other stuff in the soil and water. The local city gets a big pay out but us veterans who lived and served there nothing but illness, cancer, and diseases. In my opinion of course.
I am so glad that out government is now looking out for all us Disable Vets. I am getting my 100% Disable Vietnam Combat Vet. and I wish I had my health back but thank GOD our government finely agreed years ago that us Vietnam Combats Vets. were exposed to that darn Agent Orange in 1968 and 1969, I have had 11 major different types of cancer all over my body, I have only one right kidney now and I have to wear a urine bag the rest of my life and I am on Diaylsis going on 2yrs. I had a major heart attack in 2019 and they put 7 stents and 2 ballons in my heart, I have a left eye implant. I have to walk with a walker now, I have both knees replacements. But if I was asked if I would do it all over again I would be on that free bird headed back to Vietnam. I was with the Americal Division the 198TH Infantry in 1968 and in 1969 I was with the 196TH Infantry, I was a Grunt and a Tunnel Rat. I remember when we were out in the jungles in Vietnam our military would fly over us and spray that Agent Orange and half of the time they didn’t know where we were at because we were in those thick jungles and they could not see us. It took 2yrs. my wife calling the VA in Washington ., D.C. to get my VA Disable so All you Disable Combat War Vets. hang in there and never ever give up because the VA Hospitals VA Doctors, VA Nurses and VA Staff are taking very good care of us and always will THANK YOU ALL VA DOCTORS, VA NURSES and VA STAFF for taking great care of us. I know some Vietnam Combat Vets. are still having problems trying to get there 100% Disable but you need to keep calling Congressmen and Senators because if you don’t try the government will not do anything for you because I know. As so all the VA Hospital have a office that you can go and apply for your 100% Disable ,next time you go to your VA Hospital ask for the VA Reps. and they will tell you what floor they are located on and when my wife and I went they filled out all the paperwork while we were there just remember take your DD-214 with you and any medical records, also you can go on line and look up Donnel Trumps e-mail address and he and his Staff will respond to you. Good Luck!!! and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
So are these soldiers who graduated and actually served our country with honor or recruits in basic who got infected in the confidence chamber? ? Now they think we owe them something…so my questions what toxins are stateside? Are we talking fires, NBC,??? I hope they get it ironed it. I hope they have to have medical documents to prove these injuries…millions and millions…you think it’s hard getting an appt now…Whoa!!! I say Good Luck to us.
Why aren’t the Veterans that are still alive that lived on ships and in barracks that had asbestos insulation on the pipes and boilers.
I was onboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Sebago back in the 70’s and slept with pipes about 6 inches above my head, With the dust from the pipes as they vibrated during use.
And this killer is not listed in the PACT ACT,
Troy, I served on Sebago with you. I got my COPD, took me untill 2 years ago. Keep applying as all ships should be named or you can certify when built and include that with your claim.
PS: red lead, zinc chromate, fuel oils, and cleaning chemicals also included.
If you served anywhere at any time, and spent time in the field, you were exposed to burn pits. There was no trash pickup out there, We dug holes when we arrived at a field site, and filled it with our trash while we were there. Then we burned it before we left.
And I burned trash growing up on a farm everyday. The problem is many thought just saying they were next to a pit that burned trash but yet passed the breathing exam they would still get a check.
Now that my husband is dead from agent Orange health issues, they offer this?! What BS. When we tried to get prescription drug assistance for the $2500 a month drug that could’ve saved him, they said NO.
A grateful nation my ass!
I have Diabetic retinopathy; my right eye went blind a long time ago maybe thirty-five years. Had a stroke, then after that I had a blood clot in my lower right leg and had it surgically removed. Then was falling down very often and not being able to stand up after a short time a few months my wife brought me to the hospital and they took an MRI, and rushed me to another hospital because they found a major blood clot on my right side of my Brain a CRANIOTOMY, the surgent I guess did a good job, but what is going to happen to me next? I am 61 and cannot walk very well due to my blindness I can remember refueling the Cobra Attack Helicopters as if I was doing it yesterday in FT Carson, Colorado, as well as driving my truck with two pods of Aviation fuel so we can refuel Cobra’s & Huey’s, & Chinooks down range which I enjoyed however if I knew then what I know now I would have picked a different MOS. I was in a good division under President Regan at that time we were a very Stong Division with ass kickers as pilots and Leaders throughout our company, we also had gotten the call from the President that hostages were taken by Iran and we were second on the list to rescue them however the first division had issues with the sand and a helicopter exploded and Regan called the Ayatollah and demanded he send everyone back immediately or risk the War of Wars and of course the hostages were returned. I hope I can survive and have filed a claim for my injuries and placed my wife on it as well and been to two doctors one in Philadelphia QTC, who checked my eyes and confirmed my diabetic Retinopathy and my blind Right eye as well as everything else, he also watched me walk and suggested a cane moving forward and I told him the VA in NJ has just made me a cast they want me to use when it is ready. I then went to Paterson, NJ QTC and a Doctor checked my brain and measured my scar and rubbed around the right side of my Skull, then took off my shoes & Socks and he looked at the Scar on my right leg and tested me for the chronic fatigue syndrome, and Cholesterol, and claimed they all need to be checked and be very careful.
If You need help on winning your claims. Contact Mr. Brian Reese at vaclaimsinsider.com.
No matter what your claim is. They will fight for justice.
After reading a lot of the posts here, each one of these complaints look like they’re all written by the same person. They all have the same grammatical errors and broken English and they all mention their political views. The VA should verify the claims of people posting on its website. There’s too much misinformation on the internet, all designed to sway people’s political opinions.
[Editor: It would be highly illegal for the federal government (VA) to censor citizens’ voices in this space. That said, we do have a policy that governs what can/not be posted here: https://news.va.gov/social-media-policy/. ]
My husband walked through agent orange fields after they had been burned off. He was a medic in the second and twelfth first Calvary division. He never smoked until after he was in the service and that’s when he got to Vietnam. He’s 74 years old and has applied 2 times for benefits. He has COPD and has had 2 surgeries on his bladder for low grade cancer and has been on blood pressure medicine 12 years. Also before going into retirement had surgery for a suedo aneurism. Which led him into retirement early. As I said, he’s applied twice, the last time under the PACT ACT but was still denied benefits. Reading some of the other comments makes me wander about the PACT ACT if anyone was helped by it.
Donald Gober has just enrolled in VA Health Care. He went to the Kernersville, NC VA Clinic to have his picture taken for his ID. Prior to retirement from Active Duty, He inspected Chemical Weapon storage facilities in the US. What does he do next. I am his caregiver.
That’s just great. That moron Biden has increased the VA’s patient load without making provision for additional medical and clerical personnel to handle to coming rush. Want to know what this is called? It is called BUYING VOTES.
I am all in favor of all vets being eligible for VA healthcare, but first fund the VA and stop the move to close facilities. I am 100% for Agent Orange and have had appointments cancelled and re-scheduled due to lack of personnel.
Biden remains as full of cr_p as ever he was.
Oh boohoo. The VA said they can handle the capacity. Most veterans can enroll based on other claims on their own. The numbers won’t be millions joining up. In fact by 10 more years, maybe less than 500k will join under the Pact Act. This was thought through beyond your pay grade. Read up before you run your political rant. Many veterans stand to gain by this and all ready you view with contempt and disgust. Go Biden!!!
The supply demand thing will self correct soon because the largest lump going through the snake is the Vietnam vets who are or will be dying off at an increasing rate simply because of their age demographic. 5MM guys sucked up for the VN fiasco – that quite a lot. Now, assuming Trump wins and we stop having wars around the world to convert every tribal 3rd world country into a democracy, the number of vets will tail off at some point to a manageable level. The guy’s right: Biden is just grandstanding for votes. Like trying to cancel student debt after the SCOTUS nixed the first one.
The veterans deserve more. Let them go to any doctor who can help them. I have to drive 40 miles to see a doctor. Some poor vets cant drive. Too much run around with vet care. To all do you really think Biden cares for us. We vote in november might have a lot to do with his big heart. Buying votes is his concern.
bunch of hot air. wish it were true but VA is a broken system. Never trust anything that is run by the govt.
Never trust anything run by the government -Yet they take everything given by the government. Such Hypocrisy! You can always refuse the VA compensation, SSN, Medicare/Medicaid, etc issued by the government. Which by the way is highly supported by Biden. Regardless of our political beliefs, he refers to us ALL as HEROES. If it were left to the past President, VA would not exist. Nor would the PACT ACT. Don’t be fooled, some guys only look out for themselves. All Veterans deserve to be cared for! The past President is asking you to look out for him, pay his bills. Let’s all be better humans and look out for each other. You remember, THE BUDDY SYSTEM! At 100%, most of us have difficulty thinking straight. No worries, I’ll still have your 6.
Harry conover usn 69 73 during Nam national guard 74 78 I have heart issues pacemaker since 82 drs saying I may have come in contact w herbicides jet engine mech air crew im deaave cochlear kmplants have ptsd my drs have Witten numerous letters all my claims have been denied have not seen or talked to a va Dr ever im 75 must be waiting for me to die
I was exposed to radiation for 20 years and as a result my lungs are destroyed. I’m on Oxygen 24/7. Am no 100% disabled , homebound, but having difficulty getting home assistance. 84 years old wife has heart problems and due to back injury unable to lift 20+ lbs.
Why doesn’t this apply to me?
Go to your county VSO Veteran Service Office and apply for “Aid & Attendance”, helps offset/pay for home healthcare cost.
This is the time for PTSD. Anything with the mind get approval. I know a person from the Navy who claimed he was yelled at through out his 6 years. He documented it and saw the Chaplin and other people through out his 6 years. When he was discharged he filed for mental anguish and PTSD. He received 100% disability. He works as an electrician on the AFB and makes big bucks their to. I was told to use mental issues (how it affects you) when you do the VA appointment for your disability. I was told to overstate the mental part on how it affects you. I refuse to do that. Still waiting for my asbestos and gert rating. I suspect it will be service conected at 0%. even though I can’t sleep in a bed and I sleep in my recliner for the last 7 years. ( I was misdiagnosed 7 years ago) I have pleural plaque in both lungs with scarring but my breathing test results state I have a mild restricted issue. Of course they won’t do the test with me lying down which is where it effects me. The VA uses the test results for your rating. That is not right because I am effected in a different matter. If you really want a bigger disability rating lie….
Help me understand how this , when I got Already 100 % medical with the VA,And have been using the VA since I Was Honorably Discharged back in Dec .’79.i signed up for VA health care way back then,but only 10% Disability.
About time. I had to struggle to get in the system and have been “awarded” a 10% for tinnitus but am still waiting for a rating on lung nodules due to asbestosis (scans and x-rays showing them) but still no determination. Weird since, how do you measure tinnitus? Yet with proof in hand they have a hard time making a, what should be obvious, determination? Been a year since the filing so we’ll wait a while longer since it is “in process”. Although, I have to say, I have received excellent care and attention at my local VA hospital. 1967 enlistment USN.
I filed for tinnitus back when for being a Crew Chief F194, F105, and F4c I was awarded 10% Lost of hearing, they say that is part of old age.
What is available for widows of veterans who were exposed to chemicals
Was USN & worked for VA 20yrs. Go to your County VSO Veteran Service Office, they will explain, educate & if still eligible will help you file claim. Thank you for your service.
Roberta Quinn I hit your response button but got diverted down to another area so I hope you see this.
Good question. Right now it looks like we only get a widows pension if you qualify. However, not only did I work in military health care, from Enlisted to Commissioned, I also worked in medical research after discharge. My area of expertise was in Oncology where we did massive amounts of blood work and diagnostic scanning for these cancers as well as determine the best treatment plan. We had a Vet come in to get evaluated for asbestos exposure and possible mesothelioma from working in the shipyard. Although we did not find evidence of mesothelioma in him, his wife had it from doing his laundry. She was a stay at home wife with no other exposure. So I do agree that this needs to be examined further. I am a Navy widow, my husband worked on a destroyer class ship in the radar room confined for up to 18 hours at a time. Not only was he exposed to radiation and asbestos, he developed a confinement psychosis which is a severe type of seasonal affective disorder from not being exposed to natural daylight plus being in a small confined space. None of that was acknowledged and should have been. But once again, this all depends on who is looking at what and who is making decisions.
I was on operation Red Hat in Okinawa Japan where the removal of Agent Orange Mustard Gas Nerve Gas they been talking bout some of this but never come to any conclusion wether there was exposers or not but it’s been some complaints about this operation
Why so long with discovering the hazards of military service. I worked on aircraft, I have been exposed to toxins in fuel, lubricants, asbestos, paint, etc. I contacted the VA back in the nineties, that was when I discovered I had a problem. Over the years things have gotten worse. I will document my problems for you, does that mean anything?
Was USN & have worked for VA 20yrs. Go to your County VSO Veteran Service Office, they will explain, educate & if still eligible will help you file decent claim for free. Thank you for your service.
My disability claim has been sitting on a desk where final decisions are made for about 6 months! I think they are waiting for me to die. Next month I turn 75. When they finally get around to it, I may get to the 100% I need to finally get some much needed dental care.
I have been to my local VA, this was a run around. I have had sinus and gastro-intestinal issues since Iraq from 2003-2004. So good luck for the rest of you!
On average the Va has taken pretty good care of me in the last 15 years. The nurses are great, the doctors are not the best, they missed my cancer diagnosis for 15 years.Five different doctors..Agent orange…..
At least President Biden cares about Veterans and is doing what he can to help us. He does not demean us by calling us “suckers and losers”! He has lost a son as a result of military service and toxicity environment. He doesn’t need to pander Veterans for votes. Veterans know who is for them and who is not. Instead of complaining Veterans who need medical care should go thru the application process and wait there turn for treatment. If a Veteran has an emergency medical or mental condition they should immediately report to the nearest VA hospital for care and treatment.
that’s a pant load.
I disagree, but I don’t believe this is the proper forum for political discussions
Leave your political B\S out of these discussions. If you have a medical problem related to your time in the military let us know.
Sorry to inform you but Beau died of brain cancer not military service. Don’t believe everything that Joe tells you. Look things up, as all politicians lie through their teeth. Seems that I remember that Trump called and gave his condolences to every deceased military’s spouse or mother and father. I don’t hear that about Biden and Trump wasn’t looking at his watch while paying respect to our fallen hero’s either.
it’s bullsht–va health care is a myth–
You are quite wrong. Depending on the VAMC it can be exceptional or it can be the pits.
I went from the worst in NYC to the best, in upstate, Hudson Valley NY. I would not swap my VA health care for any civilian plan, and I have had very fine civvy plans.
The VA system is still horrendous. I’m not getting disability ratings for things that are clearly wrong with me. Even with all of this virtual signaling from the current administration, things are still bad for veterans.
I hope someone thought ahead to have hired or are beginning to hire additional personnel to handle the load. It is already impossible to get timely care for general care or procedures in some areas. There is community care, and I have used that, but there seems to be a disconnect in getting the results back to the VA in a timely fashion. For that reason, I some instances, I will just wait for the VA to make sure the records get into my VA file.
Hal they seem to have a system where even though they use Community Care physicians and facilities, the fact is that nothing gets done until the report is scanned in, and doctors orders for medications or lab work have to be rewritten by a VA doc. Lots of redundancy and room for error. I’ve heard this SOMEBODY excuse for ages- well somebody else’s supposed to scan it in, somebody..
I haven’t been able to find “somebody” though Ive been searching for years
I’m very grateful for the treatment of my Diabetes by the V A.
This is a great move in the right direction and appreciate the recognition and care of all those who served. My question is in reference to those who severed on Ft. McClellan Alabama. This is a well-known Toxic site that seems to get overlooked. All that one needs to do is a basic search on the internet to find all the issues associated with this base.
Ridiculous. If you have a related claim you should get seen. If you don’t then you don’t. This is going to dilute VA health care and make the care worse and reflective of a socialist system. Biden is hiring vets not helping and his administration knows this.
Bravo! Agree totally.
Common sense wins the day.
I applaud Biden one hundred percent. It should have been done decades ago. The problem, past administrations drugged their feet to help all veterans. Election or no elections do what is necessary to help all who served, we didn’t question the CALL.
Once you’re in you’re in…BS.
Traveled home from the Philippines and landed in Chicago. Driving around near Chicago in a nice place called Bridgeview I noticed a VA sign on a building. Not really sure this VA is in Bridgeview, but I entered the clinic. Pulled out my vic card and presented it and was denied and told to leave. Once you’re in you’re in…BS. The facility would not help me get a refill.
Somehow, I heard about Hines VA Medical Center. I spent the good portion of a day trying to get my prescriptions refilled. Got some, but not all. They claimed they could not access my records. I thought a Veteran good go nationwide for medical care? Quite frankly Hines did not believe who I was inspite of a VHIC card photo identification, passport, driver’s license. So anyway, I got about a ten day supply to last me until I got back to my home VA. This happened, 2022. Once you’re in you’re in…BS.
wtf? how does this make any difference to anything? sounds like the biggest of waste of time ever.
It is another one of this administration way to get votes for the upcoming Presidential election. Its no different than what we currently have. If you have a claim and you qualify your in! However, the doctors are a few too many, our PCP has left the VA and now we have a new doctor filling in……
Does that include free dental and free prescriptions?
No. Free is for disability
No free dental unless your 100% SC disabled by VA, but we do get free generic prescriptions.
Thank you President Biden!!!
This is a political move by Biden. When these guys register they will be told the fine print–unless they can prove service connection they will be in the lowest tier for care priority and will pay for meds and tests. Still, it’s a beginning.
The PACT ACT allowed for Vietnam vets presumably exposed to Agent Orange and who developed high blood pressure, to file and be eligible for benefits. I met all of the above criteria and filed but was denied benefits due to my BP failed to meet the VA’s threshold of 160/100. Why is that the bar when private sector healthcare sector’s bar is 130/70??? You won’t find many V Vets with a BP of 160/100 still walking around today! Maybe that’s the idea! Plus I am on 3 different BP meds to control high BP.
Does burning trash at dump site qualify?
For 18-months, part of my duty at Training Aids Department, Medical Field Service School at Fort Sam Houston TX (Brooke Army Medical Center) was to run an Ozalid Machine, making large white-print copies for various departments and uses. I used (or produced) large quantities of a form of ammonia, which I had to maintain, renew, etc. It made a terrible smell, esp if in need of service, and quite choked me up many times. Our unit sat right behind my drawing table at Graphic Arts Division, simply because of the location, I was delegated to operate it. It made me choke and distance myself to keep from coughing often, and the other staff didn’t like to have it operate! The ammonia, of course, smelled awful!
I wonder if any lasting effects upon my respiratory system accrued over that year-and-a-half in 1969-70? Anony else have any such experience? Any cases of respiratory damage known? Wick Humble, SP5 USA
Why my can seen at VA She is with me all time and while I am in the service she care my children I think she deserved to be included on my Health benefit. She still taking care me If she can be seen at VA Hospital I am free as VA 100 0/0 but I am still worry about her because health benefit now is too expensive and everthing now is expensive We been married 54 year
Rodolfo, check out the Family/Caregiver Benefits on VA.gov. As a caregiver for a Veteran, she may qualify for health care benefits and other caregiver assistance resources. Here are some to the various benefits on VA.gov:
https://www.va.gov/health-care/family-caregiver-benefits/
https://www.va.gov/family-member-benefits/comprehensive-assistance-for-family-caregivers
https://www.caregiver.va.gov/Care_Caregivers.asp
Va caregiver program is a joke, they grill you about everything even when you’re a 100 percent, can’t walk, can’t speak up for yourself and need a 24 hr around the clock caregiver, because you need help with all your ADL’s , they will still deny you even though the Va has been your primary provider for years and the medical records support your condition and disabilities.
Leave no one behind sounds so good but then why is it so damn hard to get the help or credit for what you did or went through from the VA or compassion because no one has ever made it known before ???
In viet nam agent orange. They make it inpossible to get war related disabilities handled quickly. Also they are farming all claims to outside doctors who care less and very impersonel. You feel that you should be written off
does that include ethylene oxide from working in the operating room tank room?
If you request testing for diabetes, type II, hypertension, heart disease, cancers, most types, bladder, lung, sleep apnea, sleep test. There are many VA disabilities related to toxins. I was VN one year and managed a 40% disability for exposure related diseases. Type II, hypertension and apnea. Get the tests. CT scans are free at the VA, loud work is free and once a disease is covered, everything is covered.
The VA needs to assist those who served in the Vietnam theatre and are only now looking for assistance to file a claim. A Vet may have been exposed to aerosol DDT sprayed to keep mosquitos at bay, a daily occurrence on base perimeters. If your hootch was on the perimeter you breathed this stuff in daily. So what conditions manifesting themselves today (50+ years later): Asmah, COPD, Bronchitis, GERD, etc.
How can any Vet prove that? What about jet engine exhaust in addition to DDT? What about chemicals of various types (tactical recon photo solvents/chemicals, leaking petroleum barrels, agent orange in its condensed form in barrels, any other chemical compounds that a logistics airman could have been exposed to). No issue of hearing protection on flightline/tarmac where KC135 would run their engines and F4 Phantoms, F105 and F100 aircraft that operated continuously out of Udorn RTAFB in support of our Vietnam mission. Lost my hearing as a result. How does a Vet prove any of this? The VA is not going to take his word for it!
Also I agree that the extension of Veteran health care has a political element. However, what did Trump do for the Vet other than to refer to them as suckers and losers. That is most likely because he never showed up except for a round of golf.
How about those who retired and deployed through federal agencies to Iraq and endured the dust storms and burn pits? Where do they fit into this picture?
I’m in the same boat. Desert Storm as a DOD contractor.
Does this include fire-fighting foam that I was exposed to in boot camp (1965), in B school (Aviation Boatswains Mate School; 1965-66), and on the aircraft carrier Forrestal, CVA59; 1966-69)? I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
We were still training with it and using it in the 90s. I’ve been dealing with stuff since I got out. Back then they didn’t go over anything with us just sign here and see you later.
My Vet brother that went blind at 52 and now lives with us and myself both started receiving healthcare at our VA in SC and it’s been great. The highest rated VA system in the country.
What about Carbon Tetrachloride? In the USAF 1966-1968, we were exposed to that stuff while cleaning the high power Tubes in the radar units. Bare handed cleaning was a very common thing
I have the same question! That stuff really messed with my hands. It was always bare handed use while working in the AMS shop. Your fingers would be white.
VA has been easier to deal with since the Biden administration started paying attention to the many years of mismanagement. The Pact Act has been a game changer- all enhancements are just things that are natural offsprings of the original intent.
When is the VA or government health agency going to address the many medical problems the afflict our offspring. I have Parkinsons for 10 years now. My oldest biological daughter has been dianosed with Chiari. I have helped her complete the correct VA forms and we are reviewing her documentation with a VA Representative next week. She has had numerous VA staff telling her there is VA benefits and that is an error on the staff member. I have the court records that overturned a landmark case against the VA, yet the VA fails to admit it. Hey, these are the next two generations that will eventually run this country.
It is time to stand up and be counted. Thank
The Pact act does give members who were exposed to AO/Toxic burn pits some relief. The biggest injustice the pact does is as follows: i was exposed in 1971, but didn’t know it until 2023, when the VA sent me a letter. The exposure caused prostrate cancer requiring a radical prostectomy and many residuals problems. My date of reprisal was 2022 instead of 1971. The Pact Act limits the effective date to the date I filed even though I would have filed in1982 when my prostrate surfaced, if they would have notified me I had been exposed in 1971.
Will there be a means test and a copay for illness treatment not associated with toxic exposure or military service?
I was an M60A3 tank mechanic, we rode at that back of convoys for breakdowns. Inhaled a ton of Diesel exhaust. Also exposed to lots of PLO in the field with no way to wash. Still trying to get my claim approved for Bladder cancer.
Great move by President Biden! If only more presidents actually cared about veterans.
It’s called buying votes. Great let’s add millions to an already crowded system. Idiots…
Thank you for the Information
Did Biden offer to add Doctors and tell them to treat us VA VETS THAT WE KNOW are handcuffed to derail vets by not doing anything for them except dumping good Doctor and Nurses
Why does the VA healthcare system give us veterans medical treatment for all of our body except our teeth. This healthcare should include our teeth since our teeth are part of our body.
I have worsening Peripheral Neuropathy as verified by two VA Doctors at your Golden, Co Clinic in the spring of 2018. PN is a presumptive disease, so does this mean you will now cover my disability claim as indicated in your communication ??? Thank you
Service members who were stationed at ft. McClellan need to be included. Half of the soldiers I served with who took OSUT there have cancer, blood disorders, and fertility problems. Come on VA include us.
are there income limits?
Biden signed this in 2022 not just right before election time. Why’s everything gotta be political. Jesus.
This should have happened in the 80’s. How many dead Viet Nam veterans could have been helped.
In 1960 there was an accident at the Bomarc 46th ADMS site in New Jersey where there was a major plutonium leak when one of the silos caught fire, in 1972 the Air Force finally closed that site. So for 12 years there were airmen stationed there exposed to that highly toxic plutonium. Why isn’t this site listed as being eligible for the PACT act?
The Pact Act is a joke. As a Vietnam veteran with multiple health problems including high blood pressure (taking two medications for high blood pressure), I applied for a disability rating for high blood pressure which the Pact Act included as a toxin related disability. I was denied because testing revealed my blood pressure wasn’t high enough. Of course it wasn’t because I take medication. Should I stop taking the medications for awhile and have it rechecked? That would be dangerous. What is the V.A. thinking?
Same here brother. I have been on meds for HBP since I was discharged (1970). But like you, when tested, it was not high enough because of meds. Denied!
I too am a Vietnam Veteran and was sent a letter from the VA telling me that , based on my service records , I may qualify for disability benefits for the following: High Blood Pressure , Squamous Cell cancer of the head and neck, and PTSD. I had to be tested by an independent medical staff to determine if I qualified. I went to two different appointments , one for high blood bressure and the other for PTSD. I never was seen for squamous cell of the head and neck, which I have suffered from since 1980. The VA ruled that I did not qualify for disability for the high blood pressure ( it needed to be 160/100) , I explained that I have been on blood pressure medication since the week after my R.E.L.A.D. physical . They also denied cancer of the head and neck , they claim that there is no proof that Agent Orange causes squamous cell cancer. They are quick to say that it doesn’t cause it , but no one knows the long term effects of Agent Orange. My doctors at MD Anderson tell me that , Agent Orange, in conjunction with the intense sun exposure , definitely caused my cancer. VA is just like an insurance company after a disaster , deny , deny , deny, until they finally go away.
VA, in general, needs to reorganize itself. Those of us who do not have access to a VA hospital are forced to use clinics that are under contract with the VA but are not official VA clinics. The result is confusing rules that vary from clinic to clinic. The Community Health program is great, but cumbersome with approval required for every speciality a veteran may access.
Why not issue a card like Medicare that allows a veteran to access an care from providers that accept the VA health reimbursement. Wait…doesn’t that sound like how health care insurances work?
What??? The VA has the best care??? You are clueless on what really matters and happens for us.
Sad…very sad
I am a Vietnam war veteran and have enjoyed VA healthcare benefits for many years. Until recently. it is very difficult now to get any meaningful care. Our location, Cape Coral Florida is overcrowded and the providers, Doctors and nurses are either not the best or are so overstretched that good healthcare is just not possible. I now have a medicare advantage plan and have just signed up with a doctor. No more waiting months to get seen by a VA doctor
Us Vietnam vets were exposed to burn pits. What does the va think we did with our out side solid waste. We sure did not flush anything down a toilet. WE BURNED it for a whole year. Toxic toxic. When i called va they said burn pits only for Middle East veterans. That sucks. You guys should burn it and smell it
It sounds like post 9/11 National Guard and Reserve members might now be eligible for care. But the are pre-9/11 soldiers and airman too
Why not? I would re-read everything you read about this. I don’t see anything stating only for post 9/11 veterans.
Thank you. Thier are many that had no idea they could do that.
What about disabilities for exposure to agent orange (dioxin)? Prostate cancer, and I only get 2 years 100% disability then VA determines what a lower per centage will be; should be 100% disability for life.
This is great news for everyone who was ever deployed to an area where LOGCAP contractor Brown and Root was engaging in open pit and Incinerator garbage burning.
I applied for benefits under the he pact act for cyclic vomiting syndrome and was turned down due to lack of understanding my issue or not enough research on this condition so easier to deny it has any credibility to toxins. I will say I don’t wish this condition on anyone 3 to 6 days of vomiting when it comes.
Does this include dental care?
I’m already covered but what those that were in Europe during the Chernobyl melt down?
At the present time, I’m receiving disability benefits (50% rating), for prostate cancer, hearing loss and tinnitus based on my time in DaNang, Vietnam as a member of the USMC during the spraying of Agent Orange. I also applied for disability for my heart condition which is Mitral Valve Prolapse, which was only diagnosed many years after I was discharged. I’ve experienced an irregular heartbeat, dizziness, fatigue and shortness of breath. I have since had two Mitraclip procedures preceded by three TEE’s to determine the actual flow backward through the mitral valve. I take five different medications for this condition and require regular checkups with my cardiologist. I was denied benefits for the condition because it didn’t fit the symptoms of ischemic heart disease. At 84 years of, soon to be 85 in April, I am extremely annoyed about the denial for benefits, but more importantly I am really upset that the Federal Government and the Marine Corps never notified members of the military about the toxic level of Agent Orange when you were exposed. I applied for benefits in 2020, but was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. So as a result, I lost 10 years of benefits because i was not made aware of the toxic nature of Agent Orange and how it could impact my health. It took me at least 12-16 months to finally get approved for the medical issues outlined above. Without the assistance of an advocate from the VFW (a retired Army Master Sgt), I would have been in a world of hurt trying to figure out the system. The VA had two electronic files on me, one I was in the Marines in DaNang and the other I was in the Navy aboard a ship in the South China Sea. When I sent all of the requested medical records, I was notified by the VA that my doctors all required a fee for the medical records, which was totally erroneous. My advocate finally managed to get my records corrected and I was awarded disability compensation retroactive to 2020, not 2009. Once again a total disappointing experience and outcome.
About time, many were there in the 60’s.
How do I get Natural Park passes?
If you are service connected google military pass and it will give you locations where you can get one. It took me less than 10 minutes at BLM office.
You don’t have to be service connected. Just honorably discharged veteran. Pick up a pass on site or online and pay 10 bucks. If you’re service connected you can get a handicap pass. Slightly more benefits like store discounts also free entrance like military pass. Military pass good for free entrance, includes your carload or up to 4 people walking in.
Does that include asbestos?
yes, however the VA has accepted my asbestos calcified plural plaque in both lung lobes as service connected, they gave it a 0% rating until it develops into a condition i.e. mesothelioma. lung cancer C.O.P.D etc. so meanwhile I wait and worry constantly for a possible death sentence diagnosis.
Well I applied for Plutonium exposure a year ago. Hope this actually helps with my claim now but I’m sure it won’t. I have hyperparathyroidism from exposure but get no compensation for it.
YES ! file an ” intent to file ” form [on line] now and go for it AND DON’T UP on your claim(s) , dealing with VBA bureaucracy can be stressful & discouraging . I’m rated 90% SC for scarred lungs – got back pay ( $ 12 K ) receive $ 2, 241.61 recurring monthly compensation and receive Tier 1 VA health care after filing secondary claims with a supplement appeal on a 0% non compensable SC rating for COPD 59 years after exposure to asbestos & other toxins aboard a USN light seaplane tender built in 1942 on loan to USCG . Now filing for TDIU at 100% SC rating .
Question: I have been enrolled for VA Healthcare and have been a patient for years. However, since I was on a destroyer for four years it’s accepted that I was exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is a “presumptive” exposure, meaning that if you were exposed, you are eligible for VA treatment. That is a fantastic deal. I don’t need any more benefits, but I would love to get one of those free national park passes.
Free for all veterans disabled or not.
The article states that it does include asbestos.
If you are service connected google military pass and it will give you locations whee you can get one. It took me less than 10 minutes to get one at a BLM office
It’s amazing, I’m 100% total and permanent. Yet I can’t get care at the VA in Manila. I am being forced to file claims for conditions that are in my medical records, but never filed for. These conditions are also well-known to be secondary to my approved disability. Yet, I must file and clog up the system. I get treatment for these conditions in the USA, but not the Philippines. You know, “Once you’re in, you’re in.” Forgive me if I misquoted.
Being exposed to asbestos is not included in the PACT ACT.
According to the article it does include asbestos.
I agree that all veterans that were exposed to toxins deserve treatment if they develope a health problem. But what I disagree with is Biden is just doing this new bill because its election time. The VA needs to take care of all the vets that have already applied for treatment and disability under the PACT Act. All this new bill is doing is causing the already stretched resources to be stretched even more. It will make the claims process to take longer for a claim to be settled.
Who says it is because it’s election time? America is one of the richest countries in the world and it is very telling that you assume it will stretch resources to give benefits to Veterans who served this country.
James, This is not a bill. It is a presidential directive. It doesn’t affect claims. It provides health care. I live in Florida. Our legislature did not expand Medicaid. This is a big deal for veterans that are just making it and can’t afford health care. Ray
You are absolutely right. It is political at this time and it will over load the Va. I have never had any problem with them and hope this continues. They will have to hire more help.
He signed it into law in August 2022.
I’m seeing non-combat vets who don’t suffer at all from their military service, getting more compensation than soldiers injured in war, just by lying about this stuff. When confronted, their defense is that their rep told them the in’s and outs and how. Disgusting to see guys like that making more than someone who was blown up in combat. If you’re lying, you’re committing fraud against the American taxpayer, and are nothing more than a criminal, hurting the country you swore to protect. Look at the debt this country is in already.
Mr. Gay – Please don’t politicize this good news. Besides, it’s not a new bill. It is simply accelerating the time frame provided for in the PACT Act that CONGRESS passed and President Biden signed into law on Aug. 10, 2022. Now ALL our fellow veterans who are covered under the PACT Act can apply for VA health care up to 8 years sooner than called for in the Act, which was a phase-in approach. Many of us are running out of time (especially Vietnam veterans like me), so this is a great thing for all eligible veterans who need VA healthcare to get it before they fade away. Also, are you really sure that the claims process will take longer to be settled? I don’t know about resources being stretched as you claim will be caused by this. It sounds to me like the VA Secretary and Under Secretary for Health are saying they can handle to care needed for those who are covered. I’m pretty sure they advised President Biden that they could, so it will be up to them to make sure it all goes smoothly. I sincerely hope they will.
Absolutely. I have been 13 months, now, waiting for approval.
So your sole objection is your perception of Biden’s motives?
By all means then don’t apply.
Or you could consider that Biden is actually someone who cares about Veterans, especially those subjected to dangerous substances, perhaps because that killed one of his children, and did what Trump didn’t do — expand coverage; seek new laws to expand coverage; and honor Vets. Even ones who got caught and tortured in the service of their nation.
It’s alot better than the previous draft dodger that was in office 2017 through 2021. He did nothing for the veterans except mock them and call them names
I think it’s about time that we stepped up and took care of those that were hurt. Those that served in Vietnam took a decade to get covered, and this finally resolves the issue for those that cleaned up nuclear test sites, exposed in all kinds of test. Doesn’t matter if it takes more resources, the fact that people are finally getting cared for is what matters
If we can give billions to Ukraine and “migrants” we can take care of the slim minority of our population who have actually done something for this country.
I’m not a Biden fan boy, but he has done more for Veterans than the past few administrations. A lot of them talk a good game, but haven’t done a darn thing.
President Biden did not just start pushing this bill. That is blatantly false. He has been working to support veterans during his entire administration, and even before that when he was VP.
Totally agree. This feels like buying votes. And it’s release is the night before the state of the union… Really…
Take your political whining elsewhere, pathetic.
Had to make it political.
Funny. The article I read says that veterans can enroll directly without having to file a claim first.
Brother there were things soldiers were exposed to we don’t understand or know what, if President Biden who have access to all the military documents, have read something that you are I are not privy to see, want to add this benefit to veterans then I say God Bless him. Look how long it took the VA to acknowledge Agent Orange, how many soldiers passed away from that.
I made two significant errors “she was dianosed ”
And VA Representatives told her there was NO Benefit for Chiari.
Perhaps, but they have just as much right to treatment as you and I do. If I have to wait a while longer, so be it. It’s for a fellow vet, and I know he or she would do the same for me.
Your full of crap, Biden is doing what should have been done a long time ago .why are you making this political? When it’s a good thing for us brother and sisters!
I agree with your comments and I am one of those veterans who have applied for disability and have been waiting since 1999 for my claim to be processed. I will be 75 next month and that is supposed to put me on the fast track to processing. Whatever that means.
This is nothing but a cheap political statement thinly disguised as being concerned about the overallocation of scarce resources. You don’t really care about the treatment of all veterans, if so it would not matter that Biden is President and it is eight months before the election. If you were now one of the newly eligible would you feel better if the expansion of the Pact Act had been delayed?
Fully agree with you. Resources are already strained for regular medical care, and adding a million more Vets, wait times to be seen will increase, emergency rooms will be unmanageable and bed space scarce. We don’t have the infrastructure.
Didn’t know this was about politics. Whatever helps Vets is okay by this one! Every politico takes credit for new benefits or programs; but recall when the Vet was the bottom of everyone’s priority list! Easy for me!!
Seems the plan all along was for a phased in approach when PACT was law in 2022-helping veterans faster when you can is better. “This expansion of VA health care eliminates the phased-in approach called for by the PACT Act, meaning that millions of Veterans are becoming eligible for VA health care up to eight years earlier than written into law.”
President Biden has a very long history of support for the military and I find your comment to be more political than factual.
The VA is stretched but denying services to those eligible is not the answer. They did this for many years to the detriment of many persons who deserved care and thus allowed Congress to avoid their responsibility, Much like my own local representative who for years has claimed to be a military supported while voting against bills to finance improvements/expansion.
If anything the VA Disability Board needs to be fully funded and that will only happen when we educate/encourage friends and family to ignore party labels/identification and vote for those members of Congress who DO support added funding.
Absolutely correct, Biden is buying votes and the VA resources are already stretched thin.
Does camp lejeune service man/women, qualified for health care?
(Yes, it includes Asbestos…!) This is terrific news, and it benefits ALL Veterans. You know, President Biden made a speech when “The Pact Act” was ratified and signed into law by him in August of 2023, a speech which included his promise, at THAT time, to do exactly what he did yesterday. As he said in that speech, “In March Of 2024”. He made those comments on Veterans Day, Nov 11th of last year. It is now March, and he kept that promise. Millions of Veterans who did NOT qualify for access to the VA can now use it, and why shouldn’t we? https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/11/11/remarks-by-president-biden-at-a-veterans-day-wreath-laying-ceremony-arlington-va/
Amen brother
I totally agree. Even routine appointments are well over a month out. Waiting from mid February to late April to find out the results of tests isn’t right. Expanding eligibility will only make this worse.
This is for all veterans, that was inappropriate entering politics, as for your comment about resources, you should direct that to our House of Representatives.
Completely accurate. The big push this year is super serving the 2% of the gender confused vets..which is absurd. There are thousands of vets waiting for the VA to process disability claims. Claim you are in that 2% and you will get fast tracked.