No waiting line for vets’ care

Opinion editor’s note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

Plastics. Paint. Petroleum. Metals. Munitions. Medical waste.

All of these and more were set aflame and disposed of in open-air pits used by the U.S. military in its Iraq and Afghanistan operations. Too often, members of the armed services served downwind of the airborne hazards created by this wartime waste incineration. One of them, a Minnesota mom and veteran named Amie Muller, who died at age 36 of pancreatic cancer in 2017, continues to inspire advocates and policymakers to strengthen care for those who have become ill.

While Congress passed the PACT Act in 2022 to strengthen the care and benefits for affected veterans, even this landmark legislation has room for improvement. Fortunately, the Biden administration identified an important opportunity and acted on it. Late last month, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced it is speeding up eligibility for the PACT Act’s expanded medical care by eliminating the phased-in implementation called for in the legislation.

That change means “millions of veterans are becoming eligible for VA health care up to eight years earlier than written into law,” according to the VA. Beginning March 5, “all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military” whether domestically or internationally “will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care.”

It’s understandable why veterans service organizations are applauding the move. The conditions that may be linked to burn pits are serious and include emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis and many different types of cancer, including the one that killed Muller.

Access to the specialized care provided by the VA system is generally more affordable for those who are ill. In addition, the VA reports that veterans who are enrolled in its health care are “proven to have better health outcomes than non-enrolled veterans.” Eliminating delays and expediting care is not only conscientious but could be help a veteran win a battle against a life-threatening disease.

“This is what leadership looks like,” Allison Jaslow, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), told an editorial writer on Tuesday. “No veteran should have to wait longer for lifesaving care, especially if the condition they are suffering from came by way of their service to this country. The administration’s decision proactively to get greater access to care for veterans suffering from conditions related to toxic exposure and their focus on screening VA patients to identify those same conditions earlier are truly laudable.”

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who championed the PACT Act, also praised the VA’s decision. “It’s always been my belief that when our servicemembers and veterans signed up to serve, there was no waiting line, so when they come home, there shouldn’t be a waiting line to access the benefits they deserve,” Klobuchar said in a recent statement.

The PACT Act, which the Star Tribune Editorial Board has long supported, is considered one of the largest-ever expansions of veterans health care. VA officials note that it will allow this specialized medical system to care for a wide group of veterans, including those from the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the global war on terror, or any other post-9/11 combat zone. This group also includes veterans who didn’t ever deploy but were still exposed to hazards during training or active duty on the home front.

“As many as one in five veterans living in America today could receive new health care or disability payouts thanks to the measure,” the Military Times has reported.

The PACT Act’s passage is praiseworthy not only for this reason, but because it also reflects a nation more willing to shoulder the responsibility of caring for those who served, a welcome change from the shamefully slow recognition of harm from Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam, for example. The PACT Act commendably strengthens care as well for veterans affected by this potent defoliant.

The VA is in midst of an ambitious campaign to alert veterans and their survivors about the PACT Act and its accelerated rollout. But it still needs help spreading the word, an assist the Editorial Board is honored to provide. If you’re a veteran and you want to learn more or apply, go online to VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411.