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VA health benefit expansion takes effect next week

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published February 29, 2024 at 6:23 AM EST
Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq in 2008. The military destroyed uniforms, equipment and other materials in huge burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some veterans say those pits are responsible for respiratory problems they are now experiencing.
Senior Airman Julianne Showalter/USAF
Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq in 2008. The military destroyed uniforms, equipment and other materials in huge burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some veterans say those pits are responsible for respiratory problems they are now experiencing.

Next week, VA health care will be expanding to millions more Veterans years earlier than called for by the PACT Act.

Beginning March 5, all Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving at home or abroad will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.

The expansion of care covers Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as 9/11 first responders and National Guard troops who deployed to Ground Zero in New York.

Veterans who were exposed to toxins during training are also eligible for medical coverage.

The PACT Act provides veterans exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune and burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, with compensation for a list of specific illnesses that may be linked to that exposure.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston