The federal government will cover the cost of Parkinson 's disease treatment for the families of veterans who served at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, during the time the drinking water on base was contaminated.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the risk of Parkinson's disease is 70% higher for veterans who served at the base near Jacksonville.
Officials said the family members are also eligible for health care reimbursement for several forms of cancer, kidney problems, miscarriage, infertility, and other conditions.
Studies suggest that exposure to an industrial degreaser that was once widely used aboard Camp Lejeune, trichloroethylene, is linked to Parkinson's disease.
The PACT Act, passed in 2020, extended the list of so-called "presumptive conditions" related to service members’ exposure to toxic substances.