The PACT Act Has Passed – Now What?

The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was recently passed by Congress and signed into law by the President.

This act is meant to help create support for our Post 9/11 veterans and the types of medical conditions involving burn pits used in specific conflicts including some Gulf War and Vietnam War veterans. While our Post 9/11 generation of veterans are the biggest impacted group, the provisions of the law also are applicable to many of our veterans who served in the two last major wars in which our country was involved.

As part of the PACT Act, the VA will see the following changes:

• Expansion and extended eligibility for VA health care for veterans with toxic exposures and veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras. 
• More than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures have been added.
• More presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation exposures.
• Requires the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every veteran enrolled in VA health care.
• Helps VA improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures.

For veterans living in our state, the question becomes, “What does this mean to me?” NDVS has developed a page to answer this question. We also encourage veterans to do the following:

Review the VA’s in-depth explanation or NDVS Pact Act overview pages to determine your potential of developing or if you have developed any of the conditions listed.

Speak to your healthcare provider. Follow this link for more in-depth information from the VA: https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/