Javascript is not enabled.

Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.

Skip to content
Content starts here
CLOSE ×
Search
Leaving AARP.org Website

You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

What Benefits Are Available to Veterans Under the PACT Act?

Over 5 million Vietnam, Gulf War, post 9/11 veterans are eligible


spinner image a burn pit
Veterans who were exposed to burn pits may submit a PACT Act claim to receive benefits.
REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo

In what was described as one of the largest benefit expansions in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the PACT Act is estimated to provide additional benefits and health services to over 5 million veterans.

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, named after a decorated combat medic who died from a rare form of lung cancer, addresses veterans with toxic exposures from the Vietnam, Gulf War and post-9/11 eras.

spinner image Image Alt Attribute

AARP Membership

Join AARP for $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine

Join Now

Since it was signed into law in August 2022, the VA has conducted over 4.5 million toxic exposure screenings and approved more than 400,000 benefits claims at a 78 percent approval rate, according to the VA’s PACT Act performance dashboard.

What does the PACT Act provide?

  • 20 more illnesses are now considered presumptive conditions for burn pit and other toxic exposures, meaning veterans will not have to prove that their service caused their condition. This reduces the paperwork required and the need for a disability exam before being granted access to health care and compensation. The list includes 11 respiratory-related conditions and several forms of cancer. Survivors of veterans who died due to one of these conditions may also be eligible for benefits.
  • Additional presumptive exposure locations for Vietnam era veterans
  • The enrollment period to join VA health care expanded. Post-9/11 combat veterans may enroll within 10 years of their discharge date instead of five. For other veterans, a one-year open enrollment period is made to join VA health care without having to demonstrate a service-connected disability.
  • VA will provide a toxic exposure screening to every veteran enrolled in VA health care.
  • Improvements to research, staff education, outreach and treatment related to toxic exposures

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.
See more Health & Wellness offers >

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:

spinner image membership-card-w-shadow-192x134

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.

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.

Discover AARP Members Only Access

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member?