{"id":71358,"date":"2022-09-01T15:36:58","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T15:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/09\/01\/vets-can-apply-for-all-pact-act-benefits-now-after-va-speeds-up-law\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:06:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:06:41","slug":"vets-can-apply-for-all-pact-act-benefits-now-after-va-speeds-up-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2022\/09\/01\/vets-can-apply-for-all-pact-act-benefits-now-after-va-speeds-up-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Vets can apply for all PACT Act benefits now after VA speeds up law"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/08\/30\/va-extends-debt-collection-relief-until-the-end-of-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\">Veterans Affairs officials<\/a> are now accepting claims for all presumptive illnesses included in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/08\/10\/biden-signs-burn-pit-exposure-health-care-bill-into-law\/\" target=\"_blank\">massive toxic exposure legislation<\/a> signed into law last month, including cases concerning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/burn-pits\/2022\/03\/29\/what-are-military-burn-pits-and-why-are-veterans-worried-about-them\/\" target=\"_blank\">burn pit smoke<\/a> and carcinogenic chemicals that were not scheduled to go into effect for several more years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The move will likely result in a spike in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/06\/27\/overdue-veterans-disability-claims-down-almost-a-quarter-in-last-four-months\/\" target=\"_blank\">backlogged claims<\/a> in coming months, potentially opening department leaders to criticism that they are overworking staffers and underdelivering on promises to veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But senior VA staff say they believe the move will get veterans and their family members <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/burn-pits\/2022\/08\/02\/millions-of-vets-suffering-from-burn-pit-toxic-injuries-set-for-more-benefits-after-congress-passes-pact-act\/\" target=\"_blank\">new benefits and health care<\/a> faster, some as soon as early 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019ll bring generations of new vets into VA health care and increase the health care benefits of many more,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2022\/08\/12\/va-secretary-tests-positive-for-coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\">VA Secretary Denis McDonough<\/a> said during a speech before the American Legion\u2019s national convention on Aug. 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat will result in better health outcomes, across the board. We\u2019ll deliver benefits to more survivors of vets who passed away from toxic exposure. And we\u2019ll invest in our workforce and our infrastructure to deliver those additional services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2022\/08\/10\/biden-signs-burn-pit-exposure-health-care-bill-into-law\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/BidenWhiteHouse.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Biden signs burn pit exposure health bill into law<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Biden called the PACT Act one of the most important changes to veteran support policies in decades.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PACT Act presumptives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When President Joe Biden signed the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (better known as the PACT Act) into law on Aug. 10, he directed VA officials to treat all of the presumptive conditions included in the measure \u201cas applicable the moment I sign this bill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Presumptive status for service-connected illnesses cuts down on the paperwork veterans are required to file to receive monthly disability benefits, which can total several thousand dollars a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In recent days, VA officials have clarified that the new presumptives covered include 12 types of cancer and 12 other respiratory illnesses linked to burn pit exposure in the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq; hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) for veterans who served in Vietnam; and radiation-related illnesses for veterans who served in several new locations in the 1960s and early 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The full list of illnesses and areas covered is available on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/resources\/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\">the VA website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Congress wrote the sweeping veterans toxic exposure legislation, they included a staggered timeline over the next three years for VA officials to phase in all of those claims, because of their potential to overwhelm staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, officials have estimated that the Agent Orange hypertension claims alone could affect as many as 500,000 Vietnam veterans. Under language in the legislation, VA did not need to begin processing those claims until October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Joshua Jacobs, senior VA advisor for policy who is currently overseeing the department\u2019s benefits operations, said officials determined that waiting years to begin work on those claims \u2014 and the other presumptives that were not scheduled for immediate implementation \u2014 would be confusing and potentially harmful for veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is an opportunity for us to deliver more benefits and more health care to veterans,\u201d he said in an interview with Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe assumed going in that the staggered implementation timelines would enable us to more effectively manage the workload and get benefits to war veterans more quickly. However, the challenge that we quickly realized was that as we worked through multiple layers of analysis, we couldn\u2019t fully put them on hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe would have to go in and review the claims. We would be unable to grant them. But we would be unable to deny them. They\u2019d just have to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/08\/02\/millions-of-vets-suffering-from-burn-pit-toxic-injuries-set-for-more-benefits-after-congress-passes-pact-act\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22214741466577.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Millions of vets suffering from burn pit, toxic injuries set for more benefits after Congress passes PACT Act<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">President Joe Biden is expected to sign the sweeping plan into law in coming days.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Backlog increases coming<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, the plan is to begin processing all new claims on Jan. 1, 2023. Jacobs said officials are currently putting in place the regulations needed to handle the cases, as well as training and hiring staff to deal with the upcoming workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He would not commit to when veterans will start seeing payouts arrive, but indicated that officials hope to move quickly to deliver the money in early 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re working very quickly and thoroughly to make sure that we do this right, as quickly as possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jacobs also acknowledged that the decision on PACT Act presumptives will likely cause an uptick in VA\u2019s claims backlog, the number of first-time claims that take more than 125 days to finalize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That number has been a point of controversy for the department in past years. It ballooned to more than 600,000 in 2013 after VA officials struggled to process other presumptives related to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam, fell to around 70,000 after years of reforms, and jumped above 264,000 in 2021 because of pandemic-related problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McDonough has promised additional hiring, training and overtime work to return the number to its pre-pandemic levels in coming years. As of this week, the backlog was at about 154,000 claims, and has been improving steadily since the start of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his American Legion speech, McDonough said that Aug. 11 (the day after the PACT Act signing) was \u201cour all-time high for online disability compensation claims.\u201d VA officials said they are up about 10% now, potentially adding tens of thousands more cases in coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether VA has enough staff to process the new claims within the four-month deadline remains to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/08\/18\/dont-expect-quick-payouts-from-camp-lejeune-water-lawsuits\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_1644.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Don\u2019t expect quick payouts from Camp Lejeune toxic water lawsuits<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Simply serving at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, during the 25-year eligibility period isn\u2019t enough to guarantee a cash settlement.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">File claims now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jacobs said he is optimistic that staff will be ready. And VA officials are actively encouraging all veterans eligible for the new claims to file immediately, even if it means more work in the short term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe know it\u2019s going to be more work, but it\u2019s what we\u2019re here to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is a monumental law. It is big, it is complex, and it\u2019s incumbent upon us to work with others to make sure that people know what\u2019s in the law, what they may be entitled to, and then how to access those benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As many as one in five veterans living in America today could see some benefit from the legislation in coming years. VA officials have been working with veterans advocacy groups to publicize the measure and encourage veterans who believe they may be eligible to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe want every veteran \u2014 every single one \u2014 to get the care they need and the benefits they deserve,\u201d McDonough told the American Legion crowd this week. \u201cAnd we won\u2019t rest until they do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Veterans who file claims in the next few months will be eligible for disability payments retroactive to the Aug. 10 date, once they are deemed eligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Veterans and survivors can contact VA about eligibility rules and filing procedures through the department\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/archetype.arcpublishing.com\/composer\/www.VA.gov\/PACT\" target=\"_blank\">PACT Act website<\/a> or by calling 1-800-MY-VA-411 (1-800-698-2411).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Congress said officials could wait until 2026 to handle some claims, but White House officials have ordered VA to move faster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":38739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,62,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3222],"class_list":["post-71358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"BUVX4TQQOJFDBANGESUDGJHQGA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/burn-pits\/2022\/09\/01\/vets-can-apply-for-all-pact-act-benefits-now-after-va-speeds-up-law\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Vets can apply for all PACT Act benefits now after VA speeds up law - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Congress said officials could wait until 2026 to handle some claims, but White House officials have ordered VA to move faster.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vets can apply for all PACT Act benefits now after VA speeds up law\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Congress said officials could wait until 2026 to handle some claims, but White House officials have ordered VA to move faster.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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