The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. 

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The PACT Act will bring these changes: 

Expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras 

Adds 20+ more presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures 

Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation 

Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care 

Helps us improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures 

If you’re a Veteran or survivor, you can file claims now to apply for PACT Act-related benefits. 

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What does it mean to have a presumptive condition for toxic exposure? 

To get a VA disability rating, your disability must connect to your military service. For many health conditions, you need to prove that your service caused your condition.  

But for some conditions, we automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. We call these “presumptive conditions.” 

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We consider a condition presumptive when it's established by law or regulation. 

If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption. 

One of the biggest takeaways from the Honoring Our Pact Act is that the VA is looking more into Toxic Exposures related to military service.  If you have any type of Toxic Exposure while in Service let us help you get the information needed to file a claim with the VA.