Toxic-exposed veterans eligible for expanded VA Health Care

Following years-long efforts by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester to expand toxic-exposed veterans’ access to health care, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced recently that all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits, beginning March 5.

VA’s move to expand health care for toxic-exposed veterans follows Tester’s Sergeant First Class Health Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which extended VA health care eligibility for veterans exposed to toxins during their military service.The announcement marks a rapid expansion in health care for any veterans exposed to toxins during their service.

 “Generations of veterans answered the call to serve and came home changed, and it’s our duty to ensure they have health care that meets their needs,” Tester said. “I’m glad to see VA announcing they will honor this nation’s promise by expanding health care eligibility for toxic-exposed veterans immediately, rather than waiting for a years-long phase-in. This is exactly why we fought to pass the PACT Act—to expand health care access for millions of veterans without the red tape that has turned too many folks away in the past.”