PACT Act Update: VA Signs Up 280,000 New Veterans, But Some Are Still Left Out

[Tony]

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs has signed up more than 280,000 new veterans and completed roughly 900,000 new toxic exposure claims under the expansion of the PACT Act, a Biden administration move that sped up the implementation of a 2023 law aimed at securing benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits overseas.

Veterans who had exposure to some toxic substances during their military service, whether they deployed or not, became eligible for VA health coverage under the legislation as of March 5. Former service members who served as far back as the Vietnam War can have their health care costs covered for a long list of possible illnesses considered service connected, including those from exposures during domestic training or assignment.