White House Praises PACT Act as Reaching 1 Million Toxin Claims Granted to Veterinarians

The White House announced Tuesday that more than 1 million claims have been granted through the PACT Act, a landmark law passed in 2022 that gave veterans expanded access to seek compensation and relief related to toxic exposures while serving.

More than 880,000 veterans are receiving disability benefits through the PACT Act across the country and its territories, according to the White House.

President Biden is expected to formally deliver the news later Tuesday during an event with veterans and their families while in New Hampshire.

Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough said the PACT Act “helped us bring VA to vets, rather than having them upend their lives to come to us.”

“Now the president has made it abundantly clear that we at the VA have more work to do and nothing will stop us from fulfilling our sacred obligation… to serve America’s vets as well as they have served us,” he said in an interview with press. to call. “We will not rest until every veteran and every survivor receives the health care and benefits they deserve.”

The VA still has many more claims to resolve. Last year, veterans filed more than 2.4 million claims, a 39 percent increase from 2022, for a total of 4.17 million claims since the PACT Act became law.

“We are processing these claims at the fastest pace in history,” McDonough said.

The PACT Act also created $5.7 billion in earned benefits for veterans, and more than 5 million veterans received free screenings for toxic exposures through the law.

The White House on Tuesday also released a specific breakdown of how many claims were granted through the PACT Act in each state. Texas has the most awarded with 110,629, followed closely by Florida with 87,792 and California with 74,363.

White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden said Biden is proud of the “swift actions and diligent implementation” of the VA’s demands.

“The PACT Act is changing the way we serve veterans exposed to toxic substances,” she said on a conference call. “This is truly personal for the president, given his experiences as a military father.”

Military service can increase health risks, as military personnel may come into contact with toxins from fires and other toxic exposures while on duty or in training. But because serious illnesses like cancer can take years to develop, it can be difficult for a veteran to associate service with illness.

The PACT Act, however, made it easier to file claims by assuming that a veteran came into contact with toxins during service and easing the burden of proof for those seeking medical help.

It also extended these services for the first time to the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the post-9/11 war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In March, the VA announced that millions more veterans would be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care for toxic exposure without the need to first apply for VA benefits, reducing the wait time for claim relief by up to eight years.

A senior government official said conditions and diseases addressed by the PACT Act so far include bronchial asthma, hypertension and sinusitis. The White House also said in a fact sheet that it is prioritizing cancer with the PACT Act.

The PACT Act is having a major effect across VA. More than 440,000 veterans enrolled in VA health care last year, a 30% increase year over year. The VA expanded its staff to meet demand.

“The bottom line here is we are bringing in more veterans,” the official said. “We’re getting the care they deserve. And they’re currently reporting confidence levels in the outpatient area of ​​almost 92%, which is the highest it’s ever been.”

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story