PACT Act

The PACT Act expands VA health care eligibility for Veterans with toxic exposures, including those from the Vietnam era, Gulf War era, and Post-9/11 era, and broadens benefits for Veterans exposed to toxic substances.

Key components of the PACT Act include:

1. VA will streamline the process for determining medical conditions eligible for presumptive status.
2. Enrolled Veterans will undergo an initial toxic exposure screening and subsequent screenings every five years.
3. Eligible but unenrolled Veterans will have the chance to enroll and undergo screening.
4. The Act mandates research studies on Gulf War and Post-9/11 Veteran mortality, health trends, and cancer rates.
5. It authorizes the establishment of 31 new VA facilities nationwide, enhancing access to VA health care.

The law expands health care eligibility to several groups of Veterans who may not have been eligible before and requires VA to phase in hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for any illness to three new categories of Veterans.

• CATEGORY 1: Veterans who participated in a toxic exposure risk activity (as defined by law) while serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.
• CATEGORY 2: Veterans who were assigned to a duty station in (including airspace above) certain locations during specific periods of time:
  • On or after August 2, 1990, in: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates
  • On or after September 11, 2001, in: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan, or any other country determined relevant by VA.
• CATEGORY 3: Veterans who deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, or Resolute Support Mission.
• EFFECTIVE ON OCTOBER 1, 2022:
  Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam (from 1/9/62 – 5/7/75), Thailand at any US or Royal Thai base (from 1/9/62 – 6/30/76), Laos (from 12/1/65 – 9/30/69), certain provinces in Cambodia (from 4/16/69 – 4/30/69), Guam, or American Samoa or their territorial waters (from 1/9/62 – 7/31/80), or the Johnston Atoll or a ship that called there (from 1/1/72 – 9/30/77) may enroll in VA health care.
• BETWEEN OCTOBER 1, 2022, AND OCTOBER 1, 2023:
  Veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War or in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998, and who were discharged or released between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, may enroll in VA health care. Enrollment is free, there are no annual costs, and care may be free as well.

New conditions considered presumptive conditions under the PACT Act: 

For Gulf War and post 9-11 Veterans who served in a covered geographic area, including those who served on or after 8/2/1990 in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates, and those who served on or after 9/11/2001 in Afghanistan, Egypt, Djibouti, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, or Yemen:

• Brain cancer,
• Glioblastoma,
• Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type,
• Gastrointestinal cancer of any type,
• Head cancer of any type,
• Lymphoma of any type,
• Lymphatic cancer of any type,
• Neck cancer,
• Pancreatic cancer,
• Reproductive cancer of any type,
• Kidney cancer,
• Melanoma,
• Asthma (diagnosed after service),
• Chronic rhinitis,
• Chronic sinusitis, 
• Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis,
• Emphysema,
• Granulomatous disease,
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD),
• Pleuritis,
• Pulmonary fibrosis,
• Sarcoidosis,
• Chronic bronchitis,
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 

For Vietnam Veterans two new conditions have been added: 

• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS),
• High blood pressure (hypertension) 

Here at the New York State Department of Veterans’ Services, we have Veterans Benefits Advisors, all veterans themselves, who are here to provide free and confidential assistance to you for accessing your Veterans' benefits. You can give us a call at 888-838-7697 to set up an appointment today.

For more information about the PACT Act visit the United States Veteran Affairs Website.