WASHINGTON — As of Tuesday, all veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military – at home or abroad – will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care. This 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.
The policy shift, enacted under the direction of President Biden, eliminates the phased-in approach called for by the PACT Act – meaning that millions of veterans are becoming eligible for VA health care up to eight years earlier than written into law. The move is expected to improve health outcomes for veterans, as studies have shown that those enrolled in VA health care tend to have better health results compared to non-enrolled veterans.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough emphasized the commitment to providing deserving health care to veterans.
“VA is proven to be the best, most affordable health care in America for veterans – and once you’re in, you have access for life,” he said. “So don’t wait, enroll starting March 5.”
Veterans are not required to apply to receive VA disability compensation benefits to become eligible for VA health care. This expansion also covers many veterans who never deployed as a part of a conflict but were exposed to toxins or hazards while serving in the U.S. Specifically, under this expansion of care, any veteran who participated in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) – at home or abroad – is eligible for VA health care.
VA has determined that veterans who were exposed to one or more of the following hazards or conditions during active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training participated in a TERA: air pollutants (burn pits, sand, dust, particulates, oil well fires, sulfur fires); chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, depleted uranium with embedded shrapnel, contaminated water); occupational hazards (asbestos, industrial solvents, lead, paints including chemical agent resistant coating, firefighting foams); radiation (nuclear weapons handling, maintenance and detonation, radioactive material, calibration and measurement sources, X-rays, radiation from military occupational exposure); warfare agents (nerve agents, chemical and biological weapons); and more.
VA will use all available information, including military records and service connections, to determine if veterans participated in a TERA.
Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law Aug. 10, 2022, more than 500,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care. VA encourages all eligible veterans to visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and apply for VA health care.