Truman VA to Host PACT Act Event for Rolla-Area Veterans
PRESS RELEASE
December 12, 2022
Columbia , MO — Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital staff will hold an event from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 15, at VFW Post 2025, located at 15035 US HWY 63, in Rolla, MO. The purpose is to educate and assist specific post-Operation Desert Storm Veterans with health care enrollment under the VA PACT Act.
“The PACT Act is one of the largest expansions of Veteran benefits and health care in VA’s history,” said Bob Crawford, Assistant Chief of Health Administration Services at Truman VA. “It not only defines timeframes and exposures to toxic contaminants, but also expands health care eligibility for certain Veterans. Our goal is to provide information about these changes and assist Veterans with VA health care enrollment.”
Veterans from several different eras now may qualify for health care as part of VA’s phased approach under the new PACT Act. However, Truman VA’s Dec. 15 event will focus on Veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations during a period of war following Operation Desert Storm or in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities that occurred after Nov. 11, 1998. To be eligible, a Veteran also must have been discharged between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013.
“Our current focus for this upcoming event is based on VA’s limited enrollment opportunity for this specific group of Veterans,” Crawford said. “They have from now until Oct. 1, 2023, to enroll without their income affecting their eligibility if they qualify. Therefore, it’s very important for these Veterans to find out now if they are eligible for VA health care and if so, to enroll before this window of opportunity closes for them.”
In addition to information and enrollment assistance, Truman VA staff also will provide toxic exposure screenings and offer free flu vaccinations for VA-eligible Veterans during the event.
Crawford also stressed that even if a Veteran doesn’t meet the above criteria, they still should contact VA to check on their eligibility status.
“Every Veteran’s service is different,” Crawford said. “No matter when or where a Veteran served, it is important for them to contact VA to find out if they qualify for VA-provided health care. Often, Veterans are hesitant to enroll in VA health care because they feel that by doing so, they would take resources away from the Veterans already receiving care. This isn’t true. In fact, appropriations for Veteran care increase when enrollment increases. If you served in the military, you owe it to yourself to find out if you qualify for VA care.”
For more information about Truman VA’s Dec. 15 event in Rolla, contact Heather Brown, Strategic Partnership Officer, at (573) 814-6393. To learn if you qualify for VA health care, call (573) 814-6535.