NBC 7’s Kelvin Henry has more details on veterans who will have healthcare access years earlier than expected.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that all veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards while in the military at home or abroad will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care years earlier than expected, starting March 5, 2024.
“All veterans who were exposed to toxins or other hazards while serving our country at home or abroad will now be eligible to enroll directly into VA health care without first having to apply for VA benefits,” Special Assistant to the President for Veteran Affairs Terri Tanielian said.
The exposure to toxic substances spans decades.
“Any veteran that served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other combat zone after September 11th is now eligible to enroll. That also means that any veteran who deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism is eligible to enroll,” Tanielian said.
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The expansion also covers many veterans who never deployed as a part of a conflict but were exposed to toxins and hazardous material in the U.S.
The list of toxins some veterans have been exposed to is extensive, according to Tanielian.
“We know that many who were exposed in and around Vietnam and Thailand and other places were exposed to Agent Orange. We know that individuals that were deployed to Southwest Asia were exposed to burn pits which as you know contained many many different substances that were burned and caused respiratory challenges for many in the community but there could be other exposures that veterans were exposed to like other pesticides and other toxins like asbestos,” Tanielian said.
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The PACT Act was signed into law in 2022.
The law opened up eligibility for veterans exposed to toxic substances in a phased-in approach, whereas the announcement by the VA on Feb. 26 speeds up the process.
VA representatives said they are executing a nationwide campaign to ensure that as many veterans as possible enroll.
