PACT Act filing deadline looms for veterans; here’s what to know

Biden administration officials are trying to encourage as many U.S. military veterans as possible to submit a claim to receive PACT Act retroactive benefits by Wednesday.

Hundreds of thousands of veterans have received additional benefits in the past year after President Joe Biden signed legislation expanding coverage for conditions connected to burn pits that were used to destroy trash and potentially toxic materials. 

While there’s no deadline to submit a PACT Act claim or “intent to file” to receive benefits, there is a deadline of Aug. 9 to qualify for retroactive benefits backdated to Aug. 10, 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Under the law, certain cancers and ailments are presumed to be connected to the burn pits that were used to dispose of trash and potentially toxic materials. For veterans who served during the Vietnam War, hypertension and other conditions were added to the list of problems presumed to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange, which was used by the military to clear vegetation.