PACT Act deadline for retroactive benefits extended
- The new deadline to file for retroactive benefits is Aug. 14
- The PACT Act gives extra health benefits to veterans exposed to burn pits
- Burn pit exposure has been linked to respiratory illness and cancer
FILE – An Afghan National Army pickup truck passes parked U.S. armored military vehicles, as smoke rises from a fire in a trash burn pit at Forward Operating Base Caferetta Nawzad, Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan, April 28, 2011. The House has approved a significant expansion of health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Simon Klingert, File)
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(NewsNation) — The Department of Veterans Affairs has extended the deadline for U.S. military veterans to file for retroactive PACT Act benefits to Monday, Aug. 14.
The VA extended the deadline after veterans experienced technical difficulties attempting to apply online. The VA attributed the website issues to the high volume of traffic as veterans filed or announced their intent to file.
Only a small number of applicants were affected by errors, and the VA said the decision to extend the deadline was one made out of an abundance of caution. The agency said the technical issues have been resolved and encouraged eligible veterans to apply.
The PACT Act offers additional health care and disability benefits to veterans who have medical conditions caused by exposure to burn pits. The military used burn pits to dispose of trash on bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, exposing service members to toxic materials.
President Joe Biden has said he believes his oldest son’s fatal brain cancer was caused by exposure to burn pits. Smoke from the pits has been linked to a number of respiratory illnesses and cancers.
More than 348,000 veterans have had their claims approved in the last year, and about 111,000 who are believed to have toxic exposure have enrolled in health care.
The Aug. 14 deadline only applies to those seeking benefits retroactive to when the legislation was signed, in August of 2022. There is no deadline for applying for regular benefits.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
