Sergeant first class heath robinson honoring our promise to address comprehensive toxics (pact) act of 2022 | va central alabama health care | veterans affairs

I write this letter with the hope of reaching as many Veterans and their family members as possible. New, ground-breaking legislation now allows us to better care for those Veterans exposed

to burn pits and other toxic substances. The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is a historic new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans – and their

survivors. It recognizes toxic exposure as a "cost of war" by addressing the full range of issues impacting toxic-exposed Veterans. This new law also expands and extends

eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam era, Gulf War era and post-9/11 era. The expanded health care eligibility allows new Veterans to

become eligible for VA care or increases health care benefits for impacted Veterans already receiving care. Veterans will now be eligible for benefits for more than 20 burn pit or

toxic-exposure-related conditions. The law solidifies VA's new process for establishing presumptive service-connected conditions, which puts one goal above all else: getting Veterans

and their survivors' timely access to the benefits they have earned and deserve. I know personally in working with Veterans every day how diseases related to these exposures have

impacted their lives and their families. We are honored and stand ready to meet the needs of these Veterans better now and in the future. We encourage all Veterans who believe they may be

eligible for VA health care and benefits to visit www.va.gov/PACT or call 1-800-My-VA-411 (800-698-2411) to learn more. We also work closely with the Montgomery Regional Office and you can

contact them at 1-800-827-1000. You can also schedule an in-person or virtual appointment through the VERA application at https://vets.force.com/VAVERA/s/. Thank you for your service, and

please take the first step in getting the VA health care you have earned and deserve. Amir Farooqi, FACHE Director/CEO Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System