SAGINAW — The V.A. is expanding care for veterans under the Pact Act. The legislation was signed into law back in 20-22 to extend V.A. benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals, like from burn pits, agent orange or other harmful chemicals.
Then, last year, the V.A. opened up Pact Act care to family members of veterans who were also exposed to those substances.
Now, the V.A. is expanding it once again to military veterans who were never deployed, but were exposed to pesticides, lead, asbestos, certain paints, nuclear weapons and more.
The V.A. hospital in Saginaw is holding a ‘Veterans Town Hall and Benefits Claim Clinic’ later this month where they will offer toxic exposure screenings.
“There are a certain number of presumed diagnoses, there’s about 21 of them, that if a veteran has one of these diagnoses is presumed associated with toxic exposure and allows those veterans to receive care for those conditions,” said Dr. Kevin Connolly, Acting Chief of Staff at the Aleda E. Lutz V.A. Medical Center in Saginaw.
Veterans do not have to be enrolled in the V.A. to attend, but it is a good opportunity to sign up for healthcare.
The ‘Pact Act Expansion Town Hall and Clinic’ is Monday, April 29th, 2024 at the Aleda E. Lutz V.A. Medical Center in Saginaw from 11 am until 3 pm. Toxic exposure screenings will be on a first come, first serve basis. Otherwise, you can make an appointment.
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