What the PACT Act did
- Added more than 20 presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures.
- Added new presumptive locations for Agent Orange and radiation exposure.
- Expanded VA health care eligibility for veterans from the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras.
"Presumptive" is the key word. For a presumptive condition, the VA presumes the connection to your service. You still need the diagnosis and the qualifying service, but not a doctor's opinion tying the two together.
Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans
Covered service: on or after August 2, 1990 in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates; or on or after September 11, 2001 in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, or Yemen. Airspace above these counts.
Cancers now presumptive: brain, gastrointestinal of any type, glioblastoma, head of any type, kidney, lymphoma of any type, melanoma, neck of any type, pancreatic, reproductive of any type, respiratory of any type.
Respiratory conditions now presumptive: asthma diagnosed after service, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis, emphysema, granulomatous disease, interstitial lung disease, pleuritis, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis.
Vietnam-era veterans
New presumptive conditions: high blood pressure (hypertension) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).
New presumptive locations for Agent Orange: Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai base (January 9, 1962 to June 30, 1976), Laos (December 1, 1965 to September 30, 1969), certain Cambodian provinces (April 16 to April 30, 1969), Guam or American Samoa and their waters (January 9, 1962 to July 31, 1980), and Johnston Atoll (January 1, 1972 to September 30, 1977).
Already denied for one of these?
If the VA denied you for a condition that is now presumptive, you can file a Supplemental Claim and the VA will review it under the new law. A law change counts as the "new and relevant" basis, so you do not need new medical evidence to reopen it. See the review options.
How we help
We look at where and when you served against the covered lists, go through your records for any of the presumptive conditions, and help you put together the claim or the Supplemental Claim. Veterans often have more than one qualifying condition and do not realize it.
Have questions about your own situation?
Request a free consultation call. Someone from our team will call you within one business day, talk through where you are, and tell you plainly whether we can help. No cost, no obligation.