SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States military veterans of all ages have an important deadline coming up. Meeting it could mean money in their pockets and medical care.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, however, is concerned not enough vets know about it.
For U.S. servicemembers, exposure to toxins like burn pits and agent orange are linked to cancer and other deadly conditions. The PACT Act — a new law enacted almost a year ago — expands the number of veterans eligible for VA healthcare and disability benefits. The law now presumes any veteran who served in any of the countries listed within any of the dates listed was exposed to toxins, so they’re now therefore eligible for benefits. (See the end of this article for a list.)
While these new eligibility guidelines don’t expire, there is a filing deadline of Aug. 9 for receiving a year’s worth of retroactive disability payments.
“For veterans that are thinking, ‘Did I have a toxic exposure? Did I have a chemical hazardous experience while I was in the military?’ If they file their claim before Aug. 9, they're going to get a whole year's worth of additional service disability payments, because it'll retro back," said David Stockwell, Medical Center Director for VA Northern California Health Care System.
People applying after Aug. 9 will still be eligible for benefits; they just won’t get a year’s worth of retroactive disability payments.
Stockwell encourages any veteran to apply or even revisit VA benefits.
“Veterans that maybe they got out of the military30 years ago and they filed a claim, or they filed a claim 10 years ago from their experience back in Vietnam and they didn't get a good rating, so they're thinking, ‘I already went down that road. Why bother?’ Well, when they created the PACT Act last year, they changed the rules that qualify a veteran to be rated with a disability," said Stockwell.
Steve Werner is president of the Heritage Park Veterans Club in North Natomas and a Vietnam War veteran who believes every veteran should get benefits.
"If you raised your hand, you put the uniform on, you've got a DD214, you are a veteran. Every veteran should look at this PACT Act to see if they're eligible,” he said.
He and fellow club member Bob Hiltachk are encouraging veterans of all ages to apply for VA benefits.
“You get to see doctors, you get eyeglasses, you get hearing aids. All these things: when you're young, they don't mean very much to you. But when you get to the point where you can't hear, [it] means a whole lot," said Hiltachk. "I know a lot of people think, 'Well, I'm well off enough. I don't need all of these things.' But you might find out someday you do need these things. I look at it as kind of like an insurance policy."
If filing before Aug. 9 feels daunting, Stockwell says to just get in the pipeline by then.
“If a veteran says, ‘Well, I have so much homework I've got to do, I won't be ready by Aug. 9,’ file your claim, amend your claim, but it'll still retro back and you'll get the benefits back to a year ago,” he said.
As for concerns about long waits at the VA, both Stockwell and these veterans say that's a problem of the past.
“VA is much better than what it used to be when we came home in the 60s and 70s,” said Werner. “It was a tough place to work through and everybody understands.”
"I have had a really good experience the last five or six years," said Hiltachk.
"The wait time thing that veterans have heard about really isn't true in today's VA," said Stockwell. "We're going to treat you timely. You're going to get compassionate care. The doctors are going to be well tuned to you and your specific needs as a veteran. So come on back, give the VA a try."
There is another important deadline coming up: Sept 30.
This applies to every veteran that served in combat after September 11, 2001. If — before September 30 of this year — they come in with their DD214 (their discharge papers) they can immediately be eligible and start receiving VA care.
For more on PACT Act changes to VA benefits eligibility, see the VA’s FAQ page HERE.
Stockwell also encourages veterans to go to the VA to get a toxic exposure screening, which can be rolled into a primary care appointment.
"That's a basic set of questions to say, 'Hey, in your military experience, are there things that might trigger a further evaluation in terms of if you had toxic exposure or hazardous chemical experience?' And so every veteran is entitled to do that," he said.
Of the approximately 100,000 veterans served by VA Northern California every year, 49,500 have received a toxic exposure screening, according to Stockwell.
Of those who have been screened, he said, 45% have tested positive for toxic exposure, "which means there's been a whole lot of toxic exposure and hazardous chemical in the life and journey of many people in the military. And so that triggers a further evaluation, many times an environmental health exam. I want to encourage veterans that are already enrolled in VA Health Care, if you're one of the half that hasn't gotten that toxic exposure screening, come on in. You can get that right with your primary care team. You don't need a special appointment, and let's get your toxic exposure screening done."
According to the PACT Act, if you served in any of these locations and time periods, the VA has determined veterans had exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange or other toxins — otherwise known as having a presumption of exposure.
On or after September 11, 2001, in or above any of these locations:
- Afghanistan
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
On or after August 2, 1990, in any of these locations:
- Bahrain
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
If you served on active duty in any of these locations 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
