Massachusetts National Guard veteran Jill Gautreau of Beverly, Mass., is experiencing health issues related to toxic exposure during her deployment to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base in eastern Uzbekistan. Photographed for The American Legion Magazine on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Photo by Aram Boghosian/The American Legion

VA may widen PACT Act coverage

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be conducting a scientific review to determine whether there is a relationship between three conditions and toxic exposures for servicemembers who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and several other nations.

The three conditions are acute leukemias, chronic leukemias, and multiple myeloma outside of the head and neck. In addition to Iraq and Afghanistan, other nations that would be included would be Somalia, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan, and the entire Southwest Asia theater of operations.

This review will help VA determine whether these ailments become presumptive conditions for veterans. When a condition is considered presumptive, eligible veterans do not need to prove that their service caused their disease to receive benefits for it. Instead, VA automatically assumes service-connection for the disease and provides benefits.

As part of the PACT Act, the Biden administration is aiming to expand benefits and services for toxic-exposed veterans and their families. These three conditions will go through VA’s process for establishing presumptive conditions, which was codified by President Biden’s signing of the PACT Act last August.

“We won’t rest until we understand whether there’s a connection between these deadly conditions and the service of our nation’s heroes,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said. “But make no mistake: Veterans shouldn’t wait for this review process to conclude to apply for the support they deserve. If you’re a veteran living with acute leukemia, chronic leukemia or multiple myeloma, don’t wait — apply for your VA care and benefits today.”

These conditions were chosen for review based on existing scientific data and consultations with veterans, veteran service organizations, Congress, and other key stakeholders. While these are the first conditions to be announced for scientific review since the PACT Act passed into law, VA will review additional conditions moving forward.

For more information about the PACT Act and a full list of presumptive conditions covered under the law, visit VA.gov/PACT.