What Is the PACT Act?
The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is the most significant expansion of VA health care and benefits in decades. Signed into law in August 2022, the PACT Act expands eligibility for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances during military service.
For millions of veterans, the PACT Act removes one of the biggest barriers to getting benefits: the burden of proving that a specific illness is connected to toxic exposure during service. By adding dozens of new presumptive conditions, the law recognizes what veterans have known for years: that breathing in toxic smoke, handling contaminated materials, and serving near burn pits has devastating long-term health consequences.
If you served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Southwest Asia, or certain other locations, or if you were exposed to Agent Orange, radiation, or other hazardous materials, the PACT Act may entitle you to benefits you couldn't access before. Here's everything you need to know to take advantage of it in 2026.
Who Qualifies Under the PACT Act?
The PACT Act covers several groups of veterans based on their service location and era. You may qualify if you meet any of the following criteria:
- Post-9/11 veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, or other Southwest Asia locations and were exposed to burn pits or other toxic substances.
- Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange, including those who served in Thailand, Guam, Johnston Atoll, or other testing locations beyond Vietnam itself.
- Gulf War veterans (1990-1991) who were exposed to oil well fires, depleted uranium, or other environmental hazards.
- Radiation-exposed veterans who participated in nuclear testing or served in locations with known radiation contamination.
- Veterans exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987.
The key expansion is for post-9/11 veterans who served near burn pits. Previously, these veterans had to prove a direct connection between their illness and their specific exposure, which was extremely difficult. The PACT Act establishes a concession of toxic exposure for anyone who served in a covered location during a covered period, making it far easier to get service-connected.
New Presumptive Conditions
A presumptive condition means the VA assumes your illness is connected to your service if you have the condition and you served in a qualifying location during a qualifying time period. You don't need to prove a direct link. This is a game-changer for veterans who were previously denied because they couldn't provide specific proof of exposure.
Respiratory Conditions
The PACT Act adds the following respiratory conditions as presumptive for veterans with toxic exposure:
- Constrictive bronchiolitis
- Constrictive obliterative bronchiolitis
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
- Chronic sinusitis
- Chronic rhinitis
- Chronic laryngitis
- Glioblastoma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Chronic asthma diagnosed after service
Cancers
A wide range of cancers are now presumptive under the PACT Act, including but not limited to:
- Bladder cancer
- Head and neck cancers
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer (excluding hepatitis-related)
- Lung cancer (any type)
- Lymphatic cancer
- Melanoma
- Pancreatic cancer
- Reproductive cancers
- Any cancer for which the Department of Defense has established a link to burn pit or toxic exposure
If you have been diagnosed with any type of cancer and you served in a covered location, you should file a claim immediately. Cancer claims are processed on a priority basis under the PACT Act, and you may be eligible for retroactive benefits dating back to your diagnosis.
Additional Presumptive Conditions for Agent Orange
The PACT Act also added new presumptive conditions for Agent Orange exposure, including monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), high blood pressure (hypertension), and several additional cancers. If you were previously denied for one of these conditions related to Agent Orange exposure, you should refile under the PACT Act.
The Burn Pit Registry
The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry is a database maintained by the VA to track veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards. While signing up for the registry is not required to file a claim, it creates a documented record of your exposure that can support your claim.
The registry involves completing an online questionnaire and an optional in-person medical evaluation. The data collected helps the VA track exposure patterns and may support future presumptive condition determinations. If you haven't signed up yet, do so as soon as possible. It's free and takes about 30 minutes.
Filing Deadlines You Need to Know
One of the most important aspects of the PACT Act is its phased rollout of benefits. While most provisions are now fully in effect as of 2026, there are still critical deadlines to be aware of:
- Retroactive benefits: If you file a PACT Act claim, the VA may award benefits retroactive to the date of the law's enactment (August 10, 2022) or to the date of your diagnosis, whichever is later. Filing sooner means potentially more retroactive pay.
- Previously denied claims: If you were denied for a condition that is now presumptive under the PACT Act, you can file a supplemental claim with new and relevant evidence (the PACT Act itself counts as new evidence). There is no deadline for this, but every month you wait is a month of benefits you could be receiving.
- Survivor benefits: Surviving spouses and dependents of veterans who died from toxic exposure conditions may also be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). The PACT Act expanded eligibility for these survivors as well.
How to File a PACT Act Claim
Filing under the PACT Act follows the same general process as any VA disability claim, but with some important distinctions:
- Step 1: Gather your service records showing you served in a covered location during a covered period. Your DD-214 is the primary document, but deployment orders, travel records, and unit histories can also help.
- Step 2: Get a current medical diagnosis for your condition. The VA needs to see that you actually have the condition you're claiming. Visit your VA provider or a private doctor and get a formal diagnosis documented in your medical records.
- Step 3: File your claim through VA.gov, by mail using VA Form 21-526EZ, or in person at your regional office. When you file, specifically cite the PACT Act and the relevant presumptive condition.
- Step 4: Attend your C&P exam. The VA will schedule an exam to evaluate the severity of your condition. This exam determines your rating percentage, so take it seriously and prepare thoroughly.
- Step 5: Review your decision letter. If you're approved, check that your rating matches the severity of your condition. If denied, review the reason and consider a supplemental claim or appeal.
Evidence That Strengthens Your PACT Act Claim
While the presumptive status of PACT Act conditions reduces the evidence burden, submitting strong supporting evidence still improves your chances of a favorable rating. Here's what helps:
- Nexus letter: A medical opinion linking your condition to your toxic exposure. While not strictly required for presumptive conditions, a nexus letter can help if the VA questions your exposure or diagnosis.
- Buddy statements: Written statements from fellow service members confirming your exposure to burn pits, chemicals, or other hazards.
- Medical records: Both VA and private treatment records documenting your condition, its progression, and its impact on your daily life.
- Personal statement: A detailed description of your exposure, when and where it occurred, and how your condition has affected your life since.
Secondary Conditions From Toxic Exposure
Don't stop at your primary PACT Act claim. Toxic exposure often causes a cascade of health problems that can be claimed as secondary conditions. For example, if you develop chronic respiratory disease from burn pit exposure, you might also experience sleep apnea as a secondary condition, depression or anxiety related to your breathing difficulties, reduced physical fitness leading to weight gain and associated metabolic conditions, or chronic fatigue that affects your ability to work.
Each of these secondary conditions can be rated separately, potentially increasing your overall combined rating significantly. Work with a knowledgeable provider to identify all the ways your toxic exposure has impacted your health.
Don't Leave Benefits on the Table
The PACT Act exists because the government recognized that toxic exposure during military service caused serious harm to veterans who were previously unable to get the benefits they deserved. If you served in a covered location and you have health conditions that could be related to your service, there has never been a better time to file.
Use our AI Claims Assistant to evaluate your situation and get personalized guidance on filing your PACT Act claim. It can help you identify presumptive conditions, outline the evidence you need, and walk you through the filing process step by step. You've already done the hard part by serving. Let us help you get what you've earned.
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