What’s the PACT Act and How Will It Affect My VA Benefits and Care?

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What is the PACT Act?

The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. It is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that we assume (or “presume”) are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.

This page will help answer your questions about what the PACT Act means for you or your loved ones. You can also call us at 800-698-2411 (TTY: 711). And you can file a claim for PACT Act-related disability compensation or apply for VA health care now.

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The PACT Act Will Bring These Changes:

Expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras
Adds 20+ more presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures
Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation
Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care
Helps us improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures

If you’re a Veteran or survivor, you can file claims now to apply for PACT Act-related benefits.

What Does it Mean to Have a Presumptive Condition for Toxic Exposure?

To get a VA disability rating, your disability must connect to your military service. For many health conditions, you need to prove that your service caused your condition.
But for some conditions, the VA automatically assumes (or “presumes”) that your service caused your condition. They call these “presumptive conditions.”
The VA considers a condition presumptive when it’s established by law or regulation.
If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.

Gulf War Era And Post-9/11 Veteran Eligibility

The VA has 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 Cancer Of Any Type
Kidney Cancer
Lymphoma Of Any Type
Melanoma
Neck Cancer Of Any Type
Pancreatic Cancer
Reproductive Cancer Of Any Type
Respiratory (Breathing-Related) Cancer Of Any Type

Learn more about presumptive cancers related to burn pits.

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

Learn about other hazardous materials presumptive conditions that may make you eligible for care or benefits.

The PACT Act adds new presumptive conditions. But there are also many other health conditions that we presume are caused by exposure to toxic (or hazardous) materials. If you have any of these other conditions, you may be eligible for health care or benefits.

Learn about other presumptive conditions based on exposure to hazardous materials.

If you served in any of the locations and time periods below, the VA determined that you had exposure to burn pits or other toxins. They call this having a presumption of exposure.

On or after September 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.

Am I eligible for free VA health care as a post-9/11 combat Veteran?

The VA is extending and expanding VA health care eligibility based on the PACT Act. They 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

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

If you were discharged or released before October 1, 2013:

If you meet the requirements listed here, you can receive care and enroll during a special enrollment period between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 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

The VA encourages 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.

Vietnam Era Veteran Eligibility

Based on the PACT Act, the VA added 2 new Agent Orange presumptive conditions:

High Blood Pressure (also called Hypertension)
Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS)

You may also be eligible for disability compensation based on other Agent Orange presumptive conditions. These conditions include certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and other illnesses.

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

The Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975
Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai base between January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976
Laos between December 1, 1965, and September 30, 1969
Certain provinces in Cambodia between 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

Get a list of other Agent Orange presumptive conditions.

The VA Added These 5 New Locations to the List of Agent Orange Presumptive Locations:

Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976
Laos from December 1, 1965, through September 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, the VA automatically assumes (or “presumes”) that you had exposure to Agent Orange.

Note: This isn’t the full list of presumptive locations for Agent Orange exposure. Review eligibility requirements for more presumptive locations.

Review eligibility requirements for Agent Orange presumptive exposure.

The VA Added These 3 New Locations to the List of Radiation Presumptive Locations:

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

If you took part in any of these efforts, the VA automatically assumes (or “presumes”) that you had exposure to radiation.

There are also other locations where we presume that you had exposure to radiation. If you served in any of these locations, you may be eligible for health care or benefits.

Get a list of other radiation presumptive locations.

Getting Your Benefits

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.

The VA encourages all Veterans and survivors to file for benefits now. They started to process PACT Act-related benefits in January 2023.

If you apply for benefits before August 10, 2023, and they grant your application, they’ll likely backdate your benefits to the date of the bill signing. This means they’ll pay you the amount you would have received from August 10, 2022, to the date they grant your application.

Toxic Exposure Screenings

Toxic exposure screenings are available at VA health facilities across the country.

Every Veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive an initial screening and a follow-up screening at least once every 5 years. Veterans who are not enrolled and who meet eligibility requirements will have an opportunity to enroll and receive the screening.

The screening will ask you if you think you were exposed to any of these hazards while serving:

Open Burn Pits And Other Airborne Hazards
Gulf War-Related Exposures
Agent Orange
Radiation
Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Exposure
Other Exposures

We’ll then give you information about any benefits, registry exams, and clinical resources you may need.

Ask about the screening at your next VA health care appointment. If you don’t have an upcoming appointment, or if you want to get the screening sooner, contact your local VA health facility. Ask to get screened by the toxic exposure screening navigator.

Information For Survivors

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 the surviving spouse, dependent child, or parent of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability.
Learn how to apply for VA DIC.
A one-time accrued benefits payment. You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse, dependent child, or dependent parent of a Veteran who the VA owed unpaid benefits at the time of their death.
Learn about evidence needed for accrued benefits.
A Survivors Pension. You may qualify if you’re the surviving spouse or child of a Veteran with wartime service.
Learn how to apply for a Survivors Pension.