The PACT Act and your VA benefits | Veterans Affairs (2023)

We’ve added more than 20 burn pit and other toxic exposure presumptive conditions based on the PACT Act. This change expands benefits for Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veterans.

These cancers are now presumptive:

• Brain cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
• Glioblastoma
• Head cancerof any type
• Kidney cancer
• Lymphatic cancerof any type
• Lymphomaof any type
• Melanoma
• Neck cancer of any type
• Pancreatic cancer
• Reproductive cancerof any type
• Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type

These illnesses are now presumptive:

• Asthma that was diagnosed after service
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Chronic rhinitis
• Chronic sinusitis
• Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
• Emphysema
• Granulomatous disease
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
• Pleuritis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis

If you served in any of these locations and time periods, we’ve determined that you had exposure to burn pits or other toxins. We call this having a presumption of exposure.

On or afterSeptember 11, 2001, in any of these locations:

• Afghanistan
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Syria
• Uzbekistan
• Yemen
• The airspace above any of these locations

On or after August 2, 1990, in any of these locations:

• Bahrain
• Iraq
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• The airspace above any of these locations

We’re extending and expanding VA health care eligibility based on the PACT Act. We encourage you to apply, no matter your separation date. Your eligibility depends on your service history and other factors.

If you meet the requirements listed here, you can get free VA health care for any condition related to your service for up to 10 years from the date of your most recent discharge or separation.You can also enroll at any time during this period and get any care you need, but you may owe a copay for some care.

At least one of these must be true of your active-duty service:

• You served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or
• You served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998

And this must be true for you:

• You were discharged or released on or after October 1, 2013

We encourage you to enroll now so we can provide any care you may need now or in the future. Enrollment is free.

If you meet the requirements listed here, you can receive care and enroll during a special enrollment period between October 1, 2022, and October 1, 2023.

At least one of these must be true of your active-duty service:

• You served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or
• You served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998

And both of these must be true for you:

• You were discharged or released between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, and
• You haven’t enrolled in VA health care before

We encourage you to apply during this 1-year period so we can provide you with any care you may need now or in the future. Enrollment is free. And your care may be free as well.

Based on the PACT Act, we’ve added 2 new Agent Orange presumptive conditions:

• High blood pressure (also called hypertension)
• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)

If you think you’re eligible for VA health care and benefits, we encourage you to apply now.

We’ve added these 5 new locations to the list of presumptive locations:

• Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailandfrom January 9, 1962, throughJune 30, 1976
• Laos from December 1, 1965, throughSeptember 30, 1969
• Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969
• Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 31, 1980
• Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977

If you served on active duty in any of these locations, we’ll automatically assume (or “presume”) that you had exposure to Agent Orange.

We’ve added these 3 new response efforts to the list of presumptive locations:

• Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, from January 1, 1977, throughDecember 31, 1980
• Cleanup of the Air ForceB-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons off the coast of Palomares, Spain,from January 17, 1966, throughMarch 31, 1967
• Response to the fire onboard an Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons nearThule Air Force Base in Greenland from January 21, 1968, to September 25, 1968

If you took part in any of these efforts, we’ll automatically assume (or “presume”) that you had exposure to radiation.

If you served on active duty in any of these locations during these time periods, you’re now eligible to apply for VA health care:

• The Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, andMay 7, 1975
• Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai basebetween January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976
• Laos between December 1, 1965, and September 30, 1969
• Certain provinces in Cambodiabetween April 16, 1969, and April 30, 1969
• Guam or American Samoa(or their territorial waters) between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980
• Johnston Atoll(or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll) between January 1, 1972, and September 30, 1977

If you haven’t filed a claim yet for the presumptive condition, you can file a new claim online now. You can also file by mail, in person, or with the help of a trained professional.

File for VA disability compensation online

Learn more about how to file a disability compensation claim

If we denied your disability claim in the past and we now consider your condition presumptive, you can submit a Supplemental Claim. We’ll review your case again.

Find out how to file a Supplemental Claim

We encourage you to file a Supplemental Claim. When we receive a Supplemental Claim, we’ll review the claim again.

Find out how to file a Supplemental Claim

Note:If we denied your claim in the past and we think you may be eligible now, we’ll try to contact you. But you don’t need to wait for us to contact you before you file a Supplemental Claim.

Yes. We’re considering all presumptive conditions established by the PACT Act presumptive on the date the bill becomes law.

If you think you may be eligible for VA health care or benefits, we encourage you to apply now.

We encourage all Veterans and survivors to file for benefits now. We’ll start to process PACT Act-related benefits in January 2023. We must wait for funding approval from Congress and put the needed systems in place before we can process these claims.

If you apply for benefits at any time in the next year and we grant your application, we’ll likely backdate your benefits to the date of the bill signing. This means we’ll pay you the amount you would have received from August 10, 2022, to the date we grant your application.

Yes. If you’re a surviving family member of a Veteran, you may be eligible for these benefits:

• A monthly VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC) payment. You may qualify if you’re thesurviving spouse, dependent child, or parent of aVeteran who died from a service-connected disability.
  Learn how to apply forVA DIC
• A one-time accrued benefits payment. You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse, dependent child,or dependent parentof a Veteran who we owed unpaid benefits at the time of their death.
  Learnabout evidence needed for accrued benefits
• A Survivors Pension.You may qualify ifyou’re thesurviving spouse or child of a Veteran with wartime service.
  Learn how to apply for a Survivors Pension

You can submit a new application for VA dependency and indemnity compensation (VA DIC).

Learn about VA DIC and how to apply

Note:If we denied your claim in the past and we think you may be eligible now, we’ll try to contact you. We may be able to reevaluate your claim. But you don’t need to wait for us to contact you before you reapply.

You may be eligible for these VA benefits as the surviving family member of a Veteran:

• Burial benefits and memorial itemssuch as a gravesite in a VA national cemetery or a free headstone, marker, or medallion.
• A burial allowanceto help withthe Veteran’s burial and funeral costs. You may qualify if you’re the Veteran’s surviving spouse, partner, child, or parent.
• Education and training. You may qualify if you’re the survivorof a Veteran who died in the line of duty or as a result of service-connected disabilities.
• Health carethrough the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). You may qualify if you’re the survivor or dependent of a Veteran with a service-connected disability.
• A VA-backed home loan.You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse of aVeteran.

Learn more about family member benefits