The 60-second version
Signed in August 2022, the PACT Act expanded VA healthcare and benefits to more than 5 million veterans exposed to toxins during service. It made dozens of cancers and respiratory illnesses "presumptive" — meaning the VA presumes service connection without you having to prove it.
If you served in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gulf, Vietnam, or near burn pits anywhere — and you have one of the listed conditions — you almost certainly qualify. Filing is free. There is no statute of limitations.
Who's covered
- Post-9/11 veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Yemen, or any location with open-air burn pits
- Gulf War veterans (1990-1991) who served in the Southwest Asia theater
- Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange — including in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Guam, and Johnston Atoll (the law expanded covered locations)
- Atomic veterans exposed to radiation from nuclear tests, Hiroshima/Nagasaki occupation, or radioactive material handling
- Surviving family members — if your veteran died from a covered condition, DIC is presumed
Presumptive conditions — the big list
If you have any of these AND served in a covered location, the VA presumes service connection:
Cancers (any type, but especially)
- Brain cancer · Glioblastoma
- Gastrointestinal cancer (stomach, colon, pancreatic)
- Kidney cancer · Bladder cancer
- Head and neck cancer · Throat cancer
- Lung cancer (any type)
- Lymphoma (any type) · Leukemia
- Melanoma
- Reproductive cancers
Respiratory illnesses
- Asthma diagnosed after service
- Chronic bronchitis · COPD
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Chronic rhinitis · Chronic sinusitis
- Constrictive bronchiolitis · Obliterative bronchiolitis
- Emphysema
- Granulomatous disease
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
- Pleuritis · Pulmonary fibrosis · Sarcoidosis
Other conditions
- Hypertension (Vietnam veterans)
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)
What to do, in order
- Get a free toxic exposure screening at any VA medical facility. Required by law — every enrolled vet gets one every 5 years. You don't need an appointment.
- File a claim — even if you've been denied before. The PACT Act lets you re-open old claims that were denied because the condition wasn't presumptive then. The VA will reconsider.
- Use a VSO. For free. DAV, VFW, American Legion — they file VA claims professionally, at no cost. Find one here.
- Don't pay a "claim shark." Companies that charge fees for VA claims are predators. See our scam alerts page.
If your claim was already denied
Re-file. The PACT Act explicitly invites veterans whose claims were denied for non-presumptive reasons to file again under the new presumptions. This is not a normal appeal — it's a supplemental claim under new evidence (the law itself).
If you've passed the typical filing window
There is no statute of limitations on filing for VA disability. You can file 50 years after service.
Surviving family members
If your veteran died from a PACT Act presumptive condition — even if they never filed — you may be entitled to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). See our survivor benefits page.
Get help
Claim Help Walkthrough
2-minute eligibility check that tells you which PACT Act benefits to file for.
Start walkthrough →VA.gov — Official PACT Act page
The full official list of conditions, locations, and forms.
va.gov/pact →DAV — File for free
Disabled American Veterans files PACT Act claims at no cost. National network.
Find DAV office →VFW — Service officers
Veterans of Foreign Wars also files claims free. Especially strong on Vietnam claims.
VFW help →