PACT Act
PRESS RELEASE
August 10, 2024
Washington , DC — The PACT Act is the biggest expansion of Veteran health care and benefits in generations.
The PACT Act is the biggest expansion of Veteran health care and benefits in generations, making it so the millions of Veterans who fought our wars – who breathed in debris from sandstorms, fumes from burning trash, chemicals like Agent Orange and more while overseas – are taken care of for the conditions that followed them home from war.
- On August 10, 2024, VA marked the second anniversary of President Biden signing the historic PACT Act into law.
- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released an anniversary edition of the PACT Act Performance Dashboard, highlighting the impact of this historic law for Veterans and their survivors.
- “Thanks to President Biden, millions of Veterans are now getting the health care and benefits they’ve earned for their heroic service and selfless sacrifices,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “For decades, these Veterans bravely served our country while exposing themselves to hazards like burn pits or Agent Orange — and many got sick as a result. We want all of these heroes — and their survivors — to come to VA for the health care and benefits they earned and so rightly deserve. “So, if you’re a Veteran who meets the basic service and discharge requirements and who served this country during Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, or Afghanistan – or you’re a survivor of one of those heroes – don’t wait, apply for the VA health care and benefits you deserve today.
- On September 25, 2024, VA announced that it will conduct a scientific assessment to determine if there is a relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure during military service and kidney cancer among Veterans.
- On October 29, 2024, Secretary McDonough announced that VA will begin rulemaking to add bladder, ureter, and other genitourinary—or GU cancers—as new presumptive conditions for K2 Vets and all eligible toxic-exposed Vets.
- The rulemaking, once finalized, will add cancer of the ureter, urinary bladder, ureteric orifice, urachus, over-lapping sites of the bladder, and urinary organs as presumptive service-connected conditions associated with exposure to fine particulate matter during service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations or Somalia on or after August 2, 1990, or during service on or after September 11, 2001 in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, or Uzbekistan.
- Rulemaking is currently underway, and an effective date will be announced at the time of rule publication.
- Data
- Benefits (as of 11/30/2024):
- PACT Act-related claims submitted: 2,167,219.
- PACT Act-related claims processed: 1,861,665.
- Grant Rate: 74.5%
- Backdated benefits awarded: More than $8 billion.
- Health Care (as of 11/6/24):
On November 26, 2024, VA published a Federal Register Notice to solicit input regarding exposures and conditions of interest from Veterans who served at Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air Base
- As of December 3, 2024, the number of unique Veterans who have a documented Toxic Exposure Screening in the EHR: 5,955,810 (approximately 46% reporting at least one potential exposure)
- Outreach:
- Record total claims submissions in 2023: 2.43 million, 39% increase over 2022.
- Record total intent-to-file submissions in 2023: 2.3 million, 62% increase over 2022.
- Earned media: 82,000+ PACT Act news articles since passage.
- Paid media: $10+ million in paid media, contributing to 21+ million total views of VA.gov/PACT
- PACT Act Outreach activities (this includes all events that included PACT ACT information/briefings since August 2022 through November 1, 2024: 20,493.
- VA’s Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME) Program office has trained approximately 100% of VA providers in military environmental exposures. In collaboration with the American College of Preventive Medicine, VA has certified over 1,150 participants in military environmental exposures in level one and more than 450 in level two via a free online program with continuing education credits for both providers within and outside of VA.
- VA has several ongoing studies or feasibility studies in response to the PACT ACT with the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) or other entities that include: 1) Mental Health Effects of Toxic Exposures Among Veterans; 2) Feasibility of Assessing Veteran Health Effects of the Manhattan Project (1942-1947) Related Waste; and 3) and a study on Ft. McClellan.
- Section 103 Implementation:
- We want to bring as many Veterans as possible into our care, because VA is proven to be the best, most affordable health care in America for Veterans.
- That’s why, on March 5, 2024, we made three new groups of Veterans eligible for VA health care years earlier than called for by the PACT Act:
- Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards during military service;
- Veterans who were assigned to certain duty stations in Southwest Asia or parts of Africa; and
- Veterans who deployed in support of certain operations after 9/11.
- Here’s what that means for Veterans:
- If you served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, or Afghanistan, you can enroll.
- If you deployed to any combat zone after 9/11, you can enroll.
- If you deployed in support of the Global War on Terror, you can enroll.
- And even if you never deployed but were exposed to toxins and other hazards while training or serving on active duty here at home – by working with chemicals, pesticides, lead, asbestos, certain paints, nuclear weapons, x-rays, and more – you can enroll, too.
- Simply put, all Veterans who meet the basic service and discharge requirements and were exposed to toxins and other hazards – at home or abroad – are eligible to enroll in VA care.
This is the biggest expansion of VA care in generations, and we want you to apply as soon as possible.
- It’s quick and easy to enroll. You don’t need to be sick or file a claim to become eligible; all you have to do is show that you served in one of those locations or operations – or participated in one of the activities that could have exposed you to toxins or other hazards.
- Even if you don’t think you need this care today, you might need it tomorrow, or the next day, or 30 years from now. All you have to do is enroll, then you have access for life.
- So don’t miss this opportunity: VA is the best, most affordable health care in America for Veterans. Go to VA.gov/PACT and sign up.
- We will do everything in our power to serve you as well as you’ve served us.
Learn more about the PACT Act and apply for benefits by visiting va.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MY-VA411