Our nation’s veterans who served during war and peace have sacrificed tremendously to protect our freedoms, and I am committed to supporting policies to ensure promises made to them are kept. In keeping these promises, last year, both chambers of Congress passed, and the president signed into law, the bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. This important legislation provides and expands health benefits including disability compensation, free toxic exposure screenings and more to veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange or other toxins while serving our country.
The Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Healthcare System is working diligently to ensure veterans who are eligible to receive these benefits get screened and signed up. While there is no deadline for veterans to apply for PACT Act benefits, by filing your PACT Act claim or submitting your intent to file by August 9, 2023, you may receive backdated benefits to August 10, 2022. To file a disability claim online, visit www.va.gov/disability/filedisability- claim-form-21-526ez/introduction. For instructions to submit your intent to file, visit www.va.gov/resources/ your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/.
If you are a veteran who served during the Vietnam, Gulf War or post-9/11 era and believe you are eligible for these benefits, you must first be screened for toxic exposure. All veterans can be screened for PACT Act benefits, whether already enrolled for VA benefits or not. To be screened for eligibility, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider, or with the Toxic Exposure Screening Navigator Bincy Abraham at 405-456-1912. To begin the screening process, the only document needed is a photo ID.
The screening process is completed in three levels. The first can be done in person, or even over the phone, and consists of a questionnaire about a veteran’s service and health care. The second requires specialty care appointments to be made to further investigate the level one screening. Finally, in level three, a primary care provider will provide more specific and intrusive care to identify the medical needs of the veteran.
To schedule an online or in-person appointment with a VA benefits specialist, visit va.my.site.com/VAVERA. For questions about the PACT Act and benefits you or a veteran you know might be eligible for, speak to a VA benefits specialist by calling 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411). For more tips and frequently asked questions, visit www.va.gov/ resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/.
I was proud to support the final passage of the PACT Act last year which will provide generations of veterans and their survivors with the benefits they certainly earned. I am glad to see that VA systems, and especially our own state’s, are working to get these benefits to those who deserve them. For any additional questions or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 405-329-6500.