In one of the largest-ever expansions of Veteran health care, all Veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards during military service—at home or abroad—are now eligible for VA health care.
At the direction of President Biden, VA is expanding health care eligibility to millions of Veterans, including all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other combat zone after 9/11, years earlier than called for by the PACT Act. These Veterans will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.
Additionally, Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States will also be eligible to enroll.
This expansion of VA health care eliminates the phased-in approach called for by the PACT Act, meaning that millions of Veterans are becoming eligible for VA health care up to eight years earlier than written into law.
VA encourages all eligible Veterans to visit the Pact Act website or VA.gov/PACT, or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and apply for VA health care, beginning March 5. Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law on Aug. 10, 2022, more than 500,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care.
“Once you’re in, you have access for life.”
“If you’re a Veteran who may have been exposed to toxins or hazards while serving our country, at home or abroad, we want you to come to us for the health care you deserve,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “VA is proven to be the best, most affordable health care in America for Veterans. And once you’re in, you have access for life. So don’t wait, enroll today.”
“Beginning today, we’re making millions of Veterans eligible for VA health care years earlier than called for by the PACT Act,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “With this expansion, VA can care for all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror or any other combat zone after 9/11. We can also care for Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty here at home while working with chemicals, pesticides, lead, asbestos, certain paints, nuclear weapons, x-rays and more. We want to bring all of these Veterans to VA for the care they’ve earned and deserve.”
Enroll directly in VA care without applying for VA benefits
In addition to expanding access to VA care, this decision makes it quicker and easier for millions of Veterans to enroll. Many Veterans believe they must apply to receive VA disability compensation benefits to become eligible for VA health care, but this isn’t correct.
With this expansion and other authorities, millions of eligible Veterans can enroll directly in VA care without any need to first apply for VA benefits.
This is a critical step forward because Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care are proven to have better health outcomes than non-enrolled Veterans, and VA hospitals have dramatically outperformed non-VA hospitals in overall quality ratings and patient satisfaction ratings.
And VA health care is often more affordable than non-VA health care for Veterans.
How to apply for VA health care
Veterans can apply for VA health care:
Health Eligibility Center
2957 Clairmont Rd., Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30329