File Your PACT Act Claim by August 9th

Submit Your Intent to File a Claim

The Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act) is the biggest expansion of Veteran health care and benefits in generations. VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim — or submit their intent to file a claim — for PACT Act-related benefits now. If you notify VA of your intent to file before Aug. 10, 2023, you may be able to get retroactive payments to Aug. 10, 2022, when the PACT Act became law. Learn how to let VA know of your intent to file.

Vietnam War Era Veterans The PACT Act makes it easier for Vietnam Veterans to receive benefits for illnesses linked to Agent Orange exposure. Over 20 new health conditions are now presumed to have been caused by exposure to hazardous substances while serving in the military. A Veteran only needs to prove they have one of these "presumptive conditions" and served during a qualifying time period in a specific location to receive compensation. Learn about Vietnam War era Veteran eligibility.

Gulf War and Post-9/11 Era Veterans If you served in the Gulf War or Post-9/11 era in specified locations, you may qualify for disability compensation if you experience certain medical conditions. VA considers certain service areas — “presumptive locations” — meaning that if you served in any of these places during specified time periods, you do not have to prove that you were exposed to toxins. Learn about Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veteran eligibility.

New Eligibility for Survivor Benefits More survivors than ever before are now eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)  due to Veterans’ benefits expansion under the PACT Act. If your Veteran’s cause of death was related to any of these expanded conditions or exposure locations — and they met certain service requirements — you may be eligible for DIC, VA pension, and/or accrued benefits. Find out which benefits you may qualify for and how to access them.

Track Your Pending PACT Act Claims Online You can easily check the status of your PACT Act claim once it has been submitted. Just sign into your VA.gov account with your existing Login.gov, ID.me, DS Logon, or My HealtheVet account. If you don’t have any of these accounts, you can create a free Login.gov or ID.me account. Once signed in, follow these three steps to check the status of your PACT Act claim.

New Toxic Exposure Screening for Veterans Veterans who enroll or are enrolled in VA health care can now receive the new toxic exposure screening at VA medical centers and clinics across the country. During your screening, if you believe you experienced toxic exposures during military service, you may be connected to resources and encouraged to file a disability claim.

Collected from Veterans Benefits Administration Email on July 20th, 2023.