PACT Act Health Care Enrollment

Call to talk to an enrollment Representative.

Why should a Veteran apply for VA care? 

• VA provides the best and most affordable health care for Veterans in America – and this is your chance to apply. 
• Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care are proven to have better health outcomes than those who get their care elsewhere. And this year alone, VA has beaten non-VA hospitals in quality ratings and patient satisfaction ratings. 
• That’s because our clinicians know Veterans – they often are Veterans – and they know exactly how to help. 
• And VA health care isn’t only the best option for Veterans – it’s often the most affordable – with copays as low as $0 for prescriptions, urgent care, outpatient care, and more for some Veterans at VA. 
• So don’t wait – get the world-class care you’ve earned. Apply today at VA.gov/PACT. 
• While the PACT ACT has expanded eligibility many Veterans already qualified. 

How does this make the health care enrollment process easier for Veterans?

• Many Veterans believe they have to file a claim for disability compensation benefits – and get their claim approved – to get access to VA health care. 
• But with this expansion and other authorities, that is not accurate.
  • If you served in World War II, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, or Afghanistan, you’re eligible. 
  • If you deployed to any combat zone after 9/11, you’re eligible. 
  • If you deployed in support of the Global War on Terror, you’re eligible.
  • And even if you never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards here at home – by working with chemicals, pesticides, lead, asbestos, certain paints, nuclear weapons, x-rays, and more.– you’re eligible, too. 
  • Even if none of these descriptions match your service, you may be eligible based on your income.
• Bottom line: it’s now quicker and easier than ever for you to enroll. 
• You don’t need to be sick or file a claim to become eligible; all you have to do is show that you served in one of those locations or operations – or participated in one of the activities that could have exposed you to hazards. 
• So don’t worry and don’t wait, apply on March 5 to get access to the best, most affordable health care in America for Veterans. 

What changed with this expansion of care? 

• Under the PACT Act, all toxic exposed Veterans were supposed to become eligible for VA care – in increments – between now and 2032. 
• But as President Biden directed in his Veterans Day speech, VA is eliminating the phased-in approach – meaning that millions of Veterans will become eligible for VA care more quickly. 
• This means that Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving our country — at home or abroad —are now eligible for VA care. 
• That includes: 
  • Veterans who performed active service while assigned to a duty station in (including airspace above) certain locations during specific periods of time: 
    • On or after August 2, 1990, in the following countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates.
    • On or after September 11, 2001, in the following countries: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Uzbekistan, or any other country determined relevant by VA (NOTE: VA has not determined any other country relevant at this time). 
  • Veterans who participated in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA), as defined by law (and described below), while serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training. 
  • Veterans who deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve, or Resolute Support Mission.

What’s considered a toxic exposure risk activity? 

• A TERA includes any activity that requires a corresponding entry in the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) or another exposure tracking record system.
• Additionally, VA has determined that Veterans who were exposed to one or more of the following hazards or conditions during active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training participated in a TERA, regardless of their geographic location:
  • Air pollutants (burn pits, sand, dust, particulates, oil well fires, sulfur fires).
  • Chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, depleted uranium with embedded shrapnel, contaminated water).
  • Occupational hazards (asbestos, industrial solvents, lead, paints including chemical agent resistant coating, firefighting foams).
  • Radiation (nuclear weapons handling, maintenance and detonation, radioactive material, calibration and measurement sources, X-rays, radiation from military occupational exposure).
  • Warfare agents (nerve agents, chemical and biological weapons).
• This is not a comprehensive list, and there’s no deadline to apply. Veterans can view additional military exposure categories on VA’s Public Health website at https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/.

How does this impact Veteran copayments?

• All VA health care is low- or no-cost for Veterans, but with this expansion of care, we are dramatically expanding the amount of care that we will deliver for free. 
• Specifically, Veterans who enroll under this expanded health care eligibility do not owe copayments for treatment for any condition that may be related to their qualifying service (service in a covered location and period, service in support of a contingency operation, or their participation in an activity that may have exposure them to toxins or other hazards).
• Additionally, VA is also proactively reviewing the Priority Groups of Veterans who are already enrolled in VA care to see if they qualify based on their service in a covered location or in support of a contingency operation for a higher Group, which would make them eligible for these reduced copayments. 
• While we are working urgently to implement these copayment changes, it is a work in progress. 
• If you believe you are wrongly charged copayments for treatment that may be related to your service, please let us know. 
• We work with you, and if we verify that it was an erroneous copayment, VA will provide you a refund.

Must Veterans have participated in a TERA during a specific time period? 

• No. To qualify, a Veteran could have participated in a TERA at any time while serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training. 

Many Veterans already qualified for VA Health Care

Call to talk to an Asheville Enrollment Representative.