The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will host a PACT Act informational town hall event from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Brown-Mabry American Legion Post 153, located at 2320 Kanell Blvd. Doors will open at 5 p.m.
This is the second of three planned events designed to bring attention to the PACT Act to area veterans, according to a press release from the VA.
The PACT Act is a comprehensive expansion of Veterans Health Administration health care benefits, and veterans may have many questions. During the town hall, subject-matter experts will be on hand to talk about the various aspects of the law, including topics like expanded eligibility, toxic exposure screenings and much more.
“The PACT Act is powerful change for veterans and is one of the largest expansions of health care and benefits in our history,” said John J. Pershing VA Medical Center Director Paul Hopkins. “It will open up eligibility for VA health care to millions of veterans, some which may have previously been denied. It also may provide benefits for survivors of certain veterans. The law is very extensive, and we want local veterans to attend so they can understand how it affects them.”
Several outreach booths will be available for veterans to visit. Representatives from the Veterans Benefit Administration will be on hand to answer benefits questions, and the Butler County recorder will be available to document veterans’ DD214s or other paperwork (the recorder can only accept original documents).
In addition, VA enrollment and eligibility specialists will assist those wishing to apply for health care benefits, and information about VA’s other programs also will be available.
Specific to the PACT Act, toxic exposure screenings will be offered to enrolled veterans during the event.
PACT Act Facts:
The Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 was signed into law in August. It is named after Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson, who after returning home from deployments to Kosovo and Iraq, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and late-stage lung cancer, both associated with burn pit exposure.
Toxic Exposure:
The PACT Act defines the term “toxic exposure,” but there are several types of possible exposures veterans may have experienced, including chemicals, air pollutants, occupational hazards, radiation, and warfare agents. The list is not exclusive to burn pit exposures.
Last month, VA began a process to screen every enrolled veteran for toxic exposures, and each will receive a follow-up screening every five years. Veterans who are not enrolled, but who now meet eligibility requirements, will have the opportunity to enroll and receive the screening.
At the same time, the PACT Act bolsters VA’s toxic exposure research and requires several studies to be conducted.
Eligibility:
The PACT Act greatly expands eligibility for VA health care to potentially millions of Veterans with toxic exposures and veterans of the Vietnam era, Gulf War era, and Post-9/11 era.
Three new categories have been established, including Category 1, which qualifies those veterans who participated in toxic exposure risk activities while serving.
Category 2 applies to veterans who were assigned to a duty station, or the airspace above, during specific periods of time, including those who served on or after Aug. 2, 1990, in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia or the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, Veterans who served on or after Sept. 11, 2001, in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan, or any other country determined relevant by VA may also be eligible for benefits.
Category 3 veterans include those deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Resolute Support Mission.
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 Nov. 11, 1998, and who were discharged between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, may also be eligible.
Eligibility also has been expanded to Vietnam-era veterans who served in certain locations in specific time periods, including the Republic of Vietnam from Jan. 2, 1962 to May 7, 1975; Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai base between Jan. 9, 1962 and June 30, 1976; Laos between Dec. 1, 1965 and Sept. 30, 1969; Certain provinces of Cambodia from April 16-30, 1969; Guam or American Samoa between Jan. 9, 1962 and July 31, 1980; and Johnson Atoll, or a ship that called there, between Jan. 1, 1972 and Sept. 30, 1977.
Because of the expanded eligibility, veterans who have applied in the past for VA health care benefits and were denied are encouraged to reapply.
Decision Process:
The act will improve the decision-making process for determining what conditions will be considered for presumptive status. Presumptions of service connection for more than 20 conditions related to toxic exposures, including many cancers, lung diseases, high blood pressure, and more, already have been established.
Delivering Quality Care:
The PACT Act also authorizes VA to hire additional staff to meet increasing needs, and it allows for the expansion or construction of 31 new facilities nationwide to serve veterans more efficiently.
Additional information about the PACT Act can be found at www.va.gov/PACT, and the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center can be reached at 573-686-4151.