Honoring Our PACT Act Toolbox
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps provide generations of Veterans — and their survivors — with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve. VA has considered all the presumptive conditions established by the PACT Act presumptive on the date the bill became law – August 10, 2022. Veterans and their families are already asking you for advice on whether and how this legislation impacts them. Hope this page provides you a one stop shop for the PACT Act. Any recommendations to this page, please contact Ron Dvorsky - TDVS Training Director @ ronald.dvorsky@tn.gov
- Public Law 117-168 (8/10/2022) – Honoring our PACT Act of 2022
- The PACT Act and your VA benefits
- VA PACT Act: First Year In Review (August 10, 2023)
- Improvements to Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Since 2014, VA’s Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry has been an important tool for recent Veterans and service members to record their airborne hazard exposures and related health conditions, with an optional examination with a health care provider to learn more. VA is making the registry more user-friendly and ensuring that Veterans have the option to have an in-person health exam.
- VA releases dashboard to measure the PACT Act’s impact on Veterans and survivors: All that information and more is now available in a new VA PACT Act Performance Dashboard August 18, 2023. VA will publish this dashboard every other Friday to measure the implementation of this legislation and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. As part of VA’s commitment to transparency, we are sharing the same dashboard both internally and externally to maximize accountability to the Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors we serve.
- Key aspects of the dashboard include:
- The # of Veterans who have applied for PACT Act-related benefits
- The # of Veterans who have received toxic exposure screenings, and the percentage of those Veterans who have concerns about exposure
- The # of Veterans who have enrolled in VA health care since August 4, 2023
- A Veteran story about the impact of PACT Act-related VA care and benefits
- An overview of upcoming events where Veterans and survivors can learn more about PACT Act-related care and benefits
- December 22, 2022 - VA Guidance Processing Claims Involving Public Law 117-168 (PACT Act) Claims processors in ROs must apply this guidance when processing disability compensation claims and appeals for Veterans and survivors impacted by the PACT Act
Presumptive Service Connection for Rare Respiratory Cancers Due to Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter (Final Rule-This rule is effective November 3, 2023)
What does the regulation do? This final rule amends Department of Veterans Affairs regulations to establish presumptive service connection for nine rare respiratory cancers in association with presumed exposure to fine particulate matter.
December 22, 2022 - VA Guidance Processing Claims Involving Public Law 117-168 (PACT Act)
Claims processors in ROs must apply this guidance when processing disability compensation claims and appeals for Veterans and survivors impacted by the PACT Act
November 17, 2022 - Attendees Questions & VA (VBA & OWH) Responses -- Center for Women Veterans Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT ACT)
The Center for Women Veterans Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 virtual session held on Thursday, November 17, 2022, has compiled all the attendee's questions and has asked the guest speakers from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) office and the Office of Women’s Health (OWH) to provide responses to the questions. Please find the document attached.
The PACT Act: 2024 Expanded Health Care Eligibility Stakeholder Toolkit - March 2024
Beginning March 5, 2024, VA is making all Veterans exposed to toxins while serving our country are eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits – and we are going to use every tool at VA’s disposal to ensure that as many of these Veterans as possible come to VA for their care.
This expansion of care means that 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 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.
VA has prepared the PACT Act Stakeholder Toolkit for you to use and share information about VA’s expansion of health care eligibility for Veterans. The Toolkit offers multiple communications resources you can use to reach your community members and help them better understand expanded care under PACT Act.
December 22, 2022 - VA Guidance Processing Claims Involving Public Law 117-168 (PACT Act)
Claims processors in ROs must apply this guidance when processing disability compensation claims and appeals for Veterans and survivors impacted by the PACT Act
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 — will be eligible for VA health care beginning March 5
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
2024 PACT Act Health Care Eligibility Changes: VSO Presentation Brief
This presentation provides an update on health care eligibility offered through the PACT Act including:
• PACT Act overview refresher
• New 2024 healthcare authority
•Section 103
• Toxic Exposure Risk Activity overview
• How you can help
• Resources to help you answer questions from Veterans and their families