Sometimes there is a topic too expansive to cover in a single article. When it comes to the PACT Act, it requires multiple, repeated attempts to deliver the content necessary to educate the masses. The single piece of legislation affects Veterans that served as far back as 1962 and those that served as recently as 2021. The PACT Act may also provide benefits for surviving spouses not previously eligible.
Surviving spouses or children (minors) of Veterans who died from a PACT Act-related condition may qualify for VA benefits. Survivors of Veterans who had claims previously denied for a condition that are now identified as presumptive conditions under the PACT Act may now reapply. VA has indicated they will attempt to review previously denied claims and reach out to survivors. However, you are encouraged to not wait and apply or reapply as soon as possible.
Survivor benefits may include a monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment. DIC payments are for eligible surviving dependents of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability. You may also be eligible for a burial allowance, education and training, health care, or a VA-backed home loan. You must apply for each of these benefits to receive them.
Due to space constraints, I am not able to list all the service dates, service locations, and presumptive conditions updated in the PACT Act affecting Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post 9/11 Veterans. For more information about PACT Act benefits and eligibility visit www.va.gov/PACT or contact your County Veterans Service Officer.
VA has created a performance dashboard to demonstrate transparency in their implementation of the PACT Act with the most recent release of information being on March 17, 2023. Since August 10, 2022 (signing of PACT Act), there have been 362,934 total PACT related claims submitted. Of that total, 10,012 have been survivor claims. The total number of completed claims has been 157,854 and 2,843 have been survivor claims. PACT Act claims account for just over 30% of total claims submitted since last August. The top five PACT Act conditions granted are hypertensive vascular disease, allergic rhinitis, maxillary sinusitis, bronchial asthma, and malignant growth of the genitourinary system.
There is no time like the present to submit a claim.
Brad Anderson is the Lake County Veterans Service Officer and can be reached at 218.834.8326, or cvso@co.lake.mn.us
Karen Christianson is the Cook County Veterans Service Officer and can be reached at 218.387.3639, or karen.christianson@co.cook.mn.us
