ATTENTION! Veterans Who Have Been Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxic Substances While on Active Duty
PRESS RELEASE
August 4, 2023
Saginaw , MI — There’s no deadline to apply for PACT Act benefits, but if you file your PACT Act claim with a Veteran Service Officer by August 9, 2023, you may receive benefits backdated to August 10, 2022.
So don’t wait, apply today. Be sure to complete the Burn Pit Registry at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp.
If you have had Toxic Exposures and have been diagnosed with any of the following, they are considered Presumed Service-Connected Conditions, for which you can file a Service-Connected Claim with a Veteran Service Officer.
Asthma (diagnosed after service)
Brain cancer
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic rhinitis
Chronic sinusitis
Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
Emphysema
Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
Glioblastoma
Granulomatous disease
Head cancer of any type
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Kidney cancer
Lymphoma of any type
Melanoma
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)
Neck cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pleuritis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Reproductive cancer of any type, including cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar
Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type
Sarcoidosis
The link below provides a search by county to identify who you can call. There are also Veteran Service Officers at the Aleda E. Lutz VA in Saginaw.
Visit the link below to learn more about the PACT Act and your benefits.
https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/
If you are not currently enrolled in VA health care, or perhaps you did not meet eligibility requirements in the past, consider enrolling NOW.
You may now be considered eligible due to your exposure to burn pits and other toxic substances. This may qualify you for VA health care and other benefits. Once you are enrolled, you will receive a Toxic Exposure Screening (TES) at a future Primary Care appointment.
Ways to enroll:
- Contact Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center’s Eligibility Offices at 989-497-2500, Ext. 13120 or 13121.
- Apply online at: https://www.va.gov/health-care/apply/application/introduction.
- Apply in person at the Eligibility Office located at 1500 Weiss St., Saginaw, MI 48602, in the Welcome Center, or at any VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic.
You may find VA locations here: https://www.va.gov/find-locations
The Aleda E. Lutz VAMC in Saginaw, Michigan operates an 81-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation Community Living Center. It provides care to over 40,126 Veterans in a 35-county geographic area, from mid-Michigan to the Mackinac Bridge. Veterans can also receive care at one of our nine VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics located throughout Michigan. More information about this VA can be found at https://www.va.gov/saginaw-health-care/.
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