#Middlebury #Cancer #Presumptives #VAHealthCare
VETERANS POST
By Freddy Groves
The VA has added three types of cancer to the list of presumptive illnesses and disabilities that it will consider to be service connected. “Presumptive” means the VA “presumes” your condition was caused by your service, which means you don’t have to prove anything.
The three new conditions are male breast cancer, urethral cancer and cancer of the paraurethral glands. If you were diagnosed with any of those three new cancers on or after Aug. 10, 2022, but were denied benefits, you might be eligible for those benefits now.
Because of the PACT Act (aka The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act), the levels of health care and benefits are expanded for veterans who were exposed to toxins. Service locations have been expanded over time and now include Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Uzbekistan.
During certain time periods, the following also are included: being aboard a military vessel within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam/Cambodia, and serving in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Guam, American Samoa, the Korean DMZ or the Johnston Atoll, or if you served in a location where C-123 aircraft were assigned. Radiation exposure is presumed for Enewetak Atoll, Palomares and Thule.
The toxins list is long as well: burn pits, sand and dust, particulates, oil well or sulfur fires, chemicals, radiation, warfare agents, depleted uranium, herbicides and more. Go online to www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures for more information. Be sure to scroll through the alphabetical listing of toxins and illnesses in all the drop-down menus.
If you were a volunteer for testing hazardous chemicals and materials (or if you suspect you were part of the tests), see www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure. Click on “Project 112/SHAD” for a link to declassified documents about the dates, locations and agents used.
To learn more about the PACT Act and the benefits you have from that, go to VA.gov/PACT, or call 1-800-MYVA411 (1-800-698-2411). If you haven’t had your free screening yet, do. Call and make an appointment.
© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
