What Benefits Are Available to Veterans Under the PACT Act?

Impact on Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans

• These cancers are considered presumptive conditions: Brain, glioblastoma, kidney, melanoma, neck and pancreatic cancers, along with any type of cancer that is gastrointestinal, head-related, lymphatic, lymphoma, reproductive and respiratory.
• Other conditions presumed to be connected to service: Asthma diagnosed after service, chronic bronchitis, chronic COPD, chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis, emphysema, granulomatous disease, interstitial lung disease, pleuritis, pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis.
• Post-9/11 veterans who served in these locations are presumed to have been exposed to burn pit toxins: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen — and any airspace above these locations.
• Gulf War and post-9/11-era veterans who served in these locations are presumed to have been exposed to burn pits: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the UAE — and any airspace above these countries.

What does the PACT Act mean for Vietnam-era veterans?

• New presumptive conditions for Agent Orange include high blood pressure and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
• Veterans who served at an additional five locations are now assumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange if they served during specified dates.
• Veterans who were a part of response efforts in three locations are now assumed to have been exposed to radiation if they served during specific dates.

What VA benefits are available to survivors?

Survivors of newly eligible service members may be eligible for the following benefits:

• Dependency and indemnity compensation
• A one-time accrued benefits payment
• Health care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA)
• A burial allowance for help with a veteran’s funeral costs and burial costs for qualifying spouses, partners or children

How to file a disability claim for an eligible condition

• Full details and eligibility information related to the PACT Act may be accessed at VA.gov/PACT or by calling 800-MyVA411 (698-2411).
  
• Claims can be filed online, by mail, in person or with the help of a trained professional from a Veteran Service Organization (VSO).
• Claims for conditions that were denied in the past but are now considered presumptive should be filed through a supplemental claim.
  
• Any veteran who thinks they are eligible is encouraged to submit their claim now.

Visit AARP.org/PactAct for an overview of the benefits and health services offered by the VA to more than 5 million Vietnam, Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans. You can also find information on how to get started with filing a claim. 

Editor’s note: This article, originally published Aug. 4, 2022, has been updated with new information.