NORFOLK, Va. — On Monday, the Department of Veteran Affairs announced they will be accelerating access to healthcare for veterans exposed to toxic environments while serving.
In a release, the department said that on March 5, some former military members will be able to sign up for VA sponsored health care without having to apply to VA benefits first.
The White House's Senior Advisor, Terri Tanielian, told News 3 that the PACT Act was the catalyst for this recent expansion.
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“We are changing the way in which we would determine someone to be eligible to include just whether or not they had any documentation of being exposed to a toxin or other hazard while in military service," she said.
The act was initially supposed to have a phase-in approach. However, with the announcement of this expansion, that approach is no more.
“Even if a veteran doesn’t think they need this care now, they may need it tomorrow," Tanielian said. "So we would encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity."
The coverage includes service members exposed to toxins either overseas or here at home.
“In basically all of the Middle East, they tend to burn trash and burn items, so that smoke has been getting in and affecting veterans," said Steven Russell, a 24-year Navy veteran.
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Russell now serves as the service officer with the American Legion Post 67 in Hampton. He says that because of the PACT Act, he can get treated for conditions he was previously ineligible for.
“When I retired from the military, I was diagnosed with asthma leaving," he said. "But I didn’t get service connected for it because it wasn’t in my record. I'd never had asthma."
Eligibility will apply to veterans who served in wars like the Vietnam War or the Iraq War, as well as veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins during service. According to the VA, since the PACT Act was signed into law in 2022, around half a million veterans have enrolled in VA health care. Now they hope millions more will follow.
You can apply for VA health care here.
