WEST CENTRAL TRIBUNE
HONORING OUR VETERANS
Saturday, November 5, 2022 | D13
Rand Middleton / West Central Tribune file photo When military service members deploy to war zones, they are facing more dangers than just enemy fire. The PACT Act, signed into law in August, provides an easier route for service members to obtain care for medical conditions that are now presumed to be caused by toxins they came into contact with while serving.
PACT Act opens VA health benefits to millions of veterans BY SHELBY LINDRUD West Central Tribune
W
hile in a war zone, members of the armed forces face numerous dangers not least of which is enemy fire. During the Vietnam War, Gulf War and the military actions following 9/11, soldiers also had to deal with exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals and toxins. The consequences of that exposure might not be known for years afterwards, leaving millions of veterans with lifealtering medical conditions and a need for medical care and assistance. On Aug. 10, President Joe Biden signed into law the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our
Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, better known as the PACT Act. With this new legislation, those veterans who were exposed to these toxins could be able to get the care they need. “The PACT Act is one of the largest expansions of veterans benefits in VA history,” said David Hintgen, director of Health Administration Services for the St. Cloud Veterans Administration Health Care Services, which includes the VA clinic in Montevideo. “It is expected to impact millions of veterans by creating additional pathways to VA health care.” The PACT Act increases access to VA health care to Vietnam, Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans who served in
war zones and were exposed to toxins while serving. Toxins exposure includes chemicals, air pollutants, occupational hazards and warfare agents. For instance, chemicals can include Agent Orange and burn pits. “Burn pits were heavily used in the post 9/11 era in areas such as Iraq to dispose of waste and other garbage,” Hintgen said. “They pretty much threw everything into those pits and set them on fire.” Occupational hazards could include things such as asbestos or lead exposure and air pollutants may be breathing in too much sand or being to close to oil fires, both of which were big issues for military service members in the Gulf War.
Exposure to these types of elements can cause some serious medical conditions, such as respiratory issues and cancers. Prior to the PACT Act, veterans usually had to prove a medical condition was connected to their service time before they became eligible for expanded benefits. “The burden generally falls on the veteran to prove the condition was caused in service in the line of duty,” Hintgen said. With the passage of the PACT Act, more than 20 medical conditions are considered presumptive conditions.
PACT ACT: Page D14
