The United States Department of Veterans' Affairs recently announced that with the expansion of the PACT Act, all Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military – at home or abroad – will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care beginning March 5.

PACT stands for Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics. 

This means that all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any other combat zone after 9/11 will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.

Additionally, Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States will also be eligible to enroll.

"The expansion of the PACT Act is an outstanding opportunity for our Beaufort County veterans to directly enroll in VA healthcare without first applying for VA benefits," said County Veterans Affairs Director Caroline Fermin. "The PACT Act means our veterans will become eligible for health care up to eight years sooner than previously allowed by law. This is excellent news for those veterans dealing with combat-related and service-related health issues."

This is a critical step forward because Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care are proven to have better health outcomes than non-enrolled Veterans, and VA hospitals have dramatically outperformed non-VA hospitals in overall quality ratings and patient satisfaction ratings. 

Learn more about the PACT Act here.

For more information about PACT and eligibility for other veteran-related services, call Beaufort County Veterans Affairs at 843-255-6880.