President Biden signed the long-awaited veteran toxic exposure legislation into law on Aug. 10. This is likely the largest, in both scope and dollars, Veterans Affairs program since Agent Orange Act in 1991.
The PACT Act will:
- Expand and extend eligibility for VA health care for veterans with toxic exposures and veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras;
- Add more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures;
- Add more presumptive exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation;
- Require the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care;
- Help improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures.
The presumptive conditions include the following cancers: Brain cancer; Gastrointestinal cancer of any type; Glioblastoma; Head cancer of any type; Kidney cancer; Lymphatic cancer of any type; Lymphoma of any type; Melanoma; Neck cancer; Pancreatic cancer; Reproductive cancer of any type; and Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type.
These illnesses are now presumptive: Asthma that was diagnosed aer service; Chronic bronchitis; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Chronic rhinitis; Chronic sinusitis; Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis; Emphysema; Granulomatous disease; Interstitial lung disease (ILD); Pleuritis; Pulmonary rosis; and Sarcoidosis.
If you are suffering from or suspect you have one or more of these conditions and have not previously ed a claim with the VA, you can start to do so now. If you have previously ed a claim and it was denied, the VA is encouraging folks to e a Supplemental Claim at this time. If you have a pending claim for one of the now presumptive conditions, supposedly the VA will now process those claims as presumptive.
This has been such a long time coming, and so many have suffered. Even now, the VA will likely be overwhelmed with claims and veterans seeking care that it will be a rough ride for at least a while. For more information, please go to www.VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MyVA411.
Hometown Heroes Mortgage Assistance — State of Florida Program: We hear and see a lot concerning the high cost of housing these days. The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program seeks to make homeownership affordable for eligible active-duty military and veterans, among others.
The program provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time, income qualified homebuyers so they can purchase a primary residence in the community in which they work and serve. However, Veterans are exempted from the First Time Homebuyer Requirement when they provide a valid DD-214 that reflects discharge status as other than dishonorable. For more information, see https://bit.ly/3oEda7N.
