Press Release
Posted:
Washington – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that his four town hall events in Vacaville, Santa Rosa, Yountville, and Lakeport reached over 200 veterans, their families, or survivors to support them in navigating health care benefits. Attendees at each town hall were assisted with questions about their health care benefits and registering for PACT Act benefits.
“The PACT Act is delivering overdue health care benefits to millions of veterans and their families. It’s essential that every veteran knows about what is available to them,” said Thompson. “I held town halls in our district to connect veterans with representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs and to answer their questions about accessing their health care benefits. Thanks to these town halls, we were able to reach over 200 veterans, their family members, and survivors to help them access the resources they deserve.”
Veterans in attendance at each town hall heard about how to register for health care benefits and learned about recent expansions and improvements in veteran health services. This includes The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act benefits. The PACT Act is one of the largest health care and benefit expansions in VA history, providing VA health care benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, as well as their survivors and dependents.
The PACT Act:
- 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 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.
Beginning March 5th, 2024 the VA made millions more veterans eligible for VA health care years earlier than called for by the PACT Act. Now, all veterans who served in the Vietnam War; the Gulf War; Iraq; Afghanistan; deployed in the War on Terror; exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty here at home; or deployed to any other combat zone after 9/11 are eligible to apply for PACT Act benefits.