Veterans Urged to Apply for Toxic Exposure Benefits

Congressman Ed Case News Release

U.S. Congressman Ed Case urges Molokai veterans and their survivors who may be eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care benefits under the historic PACT Act of August 2022, and who have not yet applied for PACT Act benefits, to file or at least complete and submit an intent to file before Wednesday, Aug. 9 to preserve eligibility for retroactive benefits back to the law’s enactment.

The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is one of the largest VA health care and benefit expansions ever. It expands and extends eligibility for VA health care to certain diseases linked to exposures to toxins during service in the Vietnam and Gulf Wars and post-9/11 era as well as in nuclear testing. It adds over 20  presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures, and sdds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation. It requires the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every veteran enrolled in VA health care. It helps improve research, staff education and treatment related to toxic exposures.

For those veterans and their survivors, there is no deadline for filing PACT Act claims. But in order for any benefits to also be paid back to the date of the law’s enactment, those claims must be filed by Aug. 9.

“Last year, I was honored to co-introduce and vote for the PACT Act to keep our promise to our nation’s veterans,” said Case, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations and of its Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (2019-2023) and Subcommittee on Defense (2023-). “But this law is only as good as our veterans and survivors gaining full access to authorized benefits including back pay and care where eligible. I want to ensure that all eligible Hawaiʻi veterans and their survivors not only apply for PACT Act benefits but do so by Aug. 9 to qualify for the retroactive benefits.”

Molokai veterans may contact Case’s office at (808) 650-6688 or ed.case@mail.house.gov with any questions or needs. Visit va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/ to file your PACT Act claim or intent to file.