Veterans from many eras who suffer from chronic illnesses related to their military service are eligible for free health care and disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In perhaps the largest health-care and benefits expansion in VA history, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act extended VA benefits to millions of veterans who were exposed to radiation and hazardous chemicals as part of their military service since the 1960s.
See: President Signs Historic Toxic Exposure Bill Extending Benefits to Millions of Veterans
This law expanded eligibility and added several medical conditions to VA's list of "presumptive conditions" that automatically qualify a veteran for free medical care and possibly a monthly disability payment from the VA.
When a medical condition is presumptive, the VA presumes it was caused by military service. If a veteran is suffering from a presumptive illness, they do not need to prove their illness was caused by military service. They only need to have served during a specific time period in a specific location.
See: Disability Benefits for Presumptive Conditions
Expanded Benefits Based On Hazardous Exposures
Military service often brings service members in contact with hazards, including radiation or dangerous chemicals; the new law recognizes that sometimes these hazards are very widespread and affect a large group of military members. As a result, the VA is adding the following hazards and locations to their list of specific operational theaters that qualify veterans for health and disability benefits under the presumptive conditions program:
Radiation
Veterans exposed to radiation during the response effort after aircraft accidents involving nuclear weapons in Spain from Jan. 17, 1966, to March 31, 1967, and in Greenland from Jan. 21, 1968, to Sept. 25, 1968, are now eligible for health-care and disability benefits.
Also becoming eligible are veterans involved in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands from Jan. 1, 1977, through Dec. 31, 1980.
Agent Orange
Two new illnesses -- monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and hypertension (high blood pressure) -- were added to the list of presumptive conditions caused by exposure to the herbicide widely used during the Vietnam war..
The following qualifying service locations were also expanded and added:
- Vietnam from Jan. 9, 1962, through May 7, 1975;
- Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai base from Jan. 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976;
- Laos from Dec. 1, 1965, through Sept. 30, 1969;
- Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969; or
- Guam or American Samoa, or in their waters, from Jan. 9, 1962, through July 31, 1980, or on Johnston Atoll or on a ship that visited Johnston Atoll from Jan. 1, 1972, through Sept. 30, 1977.
Related: Agent Orange
Most veterans will be eligible to receive these expanded benefits on Oct. 1, 2022; however, some including surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and veterans who are terminally ill, homeless, suffering hardship, older than 85 years old or terminally ill will be eligible on Aug. 10, 2022.
Persian Gulf War Syndrome
The time restrictions for claiming health and disability benefits for illnesses related to Gulf War Syndrome have been removed. Previously, only those who were diagnosed during active duty or before December 2021 were eligible, and there were stipulations on how long a veteran must have suffered from the disease before being eligible.
Now the law says that any veteran who suffered one of the qualifying illnesses to any degree at any time is eligible..
See: Gulf War Syndrome
The law also adds Afghanistan, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Turkey to the covered Persian Gulf War theater of operations area.
Burn Pit And Toxic Chemical Exposure
The most sweeping section of the new law codifies exposure to toxic chemicals related to burn pits and other toxic chemicals during certain military operations. More than 20 new illnesses have been added to the list of presumptive conditions caused by chemical exposure.
See: Veterans Exposed to Burning Oil Wells and Burn Pits Eligible for Special Program
To qualify for benefits, the veteran must have served either:
- On or after Aug. 2, 1990, in or above:
- Bahrain
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- United Arab Emirates
- Or on or after Sept. 11, 2001, in or above:
- Afghanistan
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
Illnesses Related To Toxic Chemical Exposure
These illnesses are now considered automatically qualifying for VA health care and possible disability benefits based on military service:
- Asthma diagnosed after leaving the service
- The following types of cancer:
- Brain cancer
- Head cancer of any type
- Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
- Glioblastoma
- Kidney cancer
- Lymphoma cancer of any type
- Lymphatic cancer of any type
- Melanoma
- Neck cancer of any type
- Pancreatic cancer
- Reproductive cancer of any type
- Respiratory cancer of any type
- Chronic bronchitis
- Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic rhinitis
- Chronic sinusitis
- Emphysema
- Granulomatous disease
- Interstitial lung disease
- Pleuritis
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Sarcoidosis
Effective Dates of Eligibility
The new law was to be phased in over the next several years, with different implementation dates for different diseases as well as different eligibility dates for health care and disability compensation eligibility.
The latest implementation dates are:
Health Care
The VA brought several cohorts onboard early, effective March 5, 2024, and the following are now eligible:
- Veterans who took part in a TERA, defined as exposure to certain air pollutants, chemicals, radiation, warfare agents and other occupational hazards.
- Veterans who served at, or in the airspace above, certain duty stations at certain times, including Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates after Aug. 2, 1990; or Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Uzbekistan after Sept. 11, 2001.
- Veterans who deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve and Resolute Support Mission.
- Vietnam-era veterans who served at certain locations in the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Guam, American Samoa or Johnston Atoll during specified time periods from 1962 to 1980.
Disability Compensation
- Effective Aug. 10, 2022, for veterans with:
- Asthma diagnosed after leaving the service
- Brain cancer
- Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
- Chronic rhinitis
- Chronic sinusitis
- Emphysema
- Glioblastoma
- Granulomatous disease
- Interstitial lung disease
- Pleuritis
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Respiratory cancer of any type
- Sarcoidosis
- Effective Oct. 1, 2023, for veterans with:
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Effective Oct. 1, 2024, for veterans with:
- Head cancer of any type
- Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
- Lymphoma cancer of any type
- Lymphatic cancer of any type
- Neck cancer of any type
- Pancreatic cancer
- Reproductive cancer of any type
- Respiratory cancer of any type
- Effective Oct. 1, 2025, for veterans with kidney cancer and melanoma
Even if you have been turned down for VA benefits before, the VA is encouraging everyone who thinks they may be eligible for these new expanded benefits to apply for them now at VA.gov.
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