As part of what the Department of Veterans Affairs calls the “largest coordinated outreach campaign” in its history, VA Secretary Denis McDonough visited veterans in Colorado Springs Thursday, encouraging them to learn about and apply for benefits under the new PACT Act, commonly known as the “burn pit” bill.

Michael Bennet, Colorado Springs veterans discuss ‘burn pit’ bill and how to improve health care

The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was signed into law Aug. 10 and aims to help millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances during military service. Burn pits were commonly used to burn medical and human waste and hazardous materials like plastics, rubber, discarded food, chemicals and batteries at military sites in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Speaking from the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic, McDonough acknowledged that many have felt that the new legislation is a long time coming.

“Veterans have waited too long to get access to care and benefits that they’ve earned and deserved for exposure to toxins,” McDonough said.

While service members who developed a vast array of medical symptoms, including long-term effects on skin, eyes, lungs, and the reproductive and central nervous systems – as well as several forms of cancer – have linked their illnesses to burn pit exposure for over a decade, the VA and Department of Defense asserted for years that there was inadequate evidence to directly link the two.

The new legislation brings 23 more diseases and cancers under the VA’s umbrella of coverage, and essentially presumes that veterans were exposed to harmful substances during their service, eliminating the previous requirement for veterans to prove their illnesses or conditions were caused or worsened by these burn pits.

The act also expands coverage to those affected by Agent Orange and other toxic substances during the Vietnam War. An estimated 4 million veterans who served in the post-9/11 era alone are eligible for benefits under the act, McDonough said.

The VA is set to begin processing all disability compensation claims under the PACT Act on Jan. 1, 2023. According to the VA, veterans who apply for PACT Act-related benefits before Aug. 10, 2023, will have their benefits backdated to Aug. 10, 2022.

The processing of claims filed by veterans with terminal illnesses has already begun, the VA announced Monday in an effort to prioritize and honor dying veterans well ahead of the Jan. 1 date.

“If you are suffering from a terminal condition, we’ll get right on it, McDonough said. “If you’re suffering from cancer, you will be at the top of the list when we begin processing the rest of those claims on January one.”

VA deputy secretary visits Colorado Springs, talks burn pit bill, improved access to services

McDonough encouraged veterans to attend the VA clinic’s open house Thursday evening, one of over 90 town halls the VA is hosting across the country as part of the PACT Act Week of Action from Dec. 10-17. There, “on-site subject matter experts” helped attendees understand what was available to them under the new law and file claims, enroll in health care and undergo toxic exposure screenings.

Before the passing of the PACT Act, called the “biggest expansion of care and benefits in VA history,” some lawmakers expressed concern that the addition of more veterans needing care will further overwhelm VA clinics around the country.

McDonough addressed the concern, saying that regional officials in Colorado are “actively recruiting for benefits personnel and for clinical health care personnel.” The secretary acknowledged that veterans are frustrated with wait times as staffing issues remain an obstacle to care.

“Across our system, we suffer the same challenge that every health care system suffers,” McDonough said. ‘We need more mental health care professionals. We need more primary care providers. We need more nurses.”

McDonough said the open house in Colorado Springs is an intentional step in increasing veterans’ access to direct care and education on what VA policy means for them.

“Too often, (the VA has) suggested that maybe you fit your life into our bureaucracy,” he said. “This is a system that’s building our infrastructure into (veterans’) lives.”

Don’t wait, apply for PACT Act benefits today

For more information on the PACT Act and to file a claim, visit bit.ly/3hynYV2.