VA extends PACT Act application deadline through Monday
Aug 10, 2023, 9:52 AM | Updated: 11:31 am
Vietnam War veteran Lou Martinez participates in a ceremony to recognize and honor Vietnam War veterans at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and Vietnam Veterans of America hosted the ceremony. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. (Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
(Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Department of Veterans Affairs has extended the deadline to file a PACT Act claim from its original deadline to the end of Aug. 14.
EXTENDED DEADLINE: Veterans and survivors now have until Monday, August 14, 2023, 11:59PM to file your PACT Act claim—or submit your intent to file—and be eligible for benefits backdated to August 10, 2022.
Take advantage of this extension and file now: https://t.co/I6OXfAZjVp— Utah Veteran & Military Affairs (@Utah_DVMA) August 10, 2023
The PACT Act was signed into law last year by President Joe Biden. It expands healthcare for Veterans exposed to “burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances” during their service.
The VA said the law “helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.”
This news was announced in light of President Biden’s visit to Utah. He is set to speak at the VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City to commemorate the one-year since he signed the PACT Act into effect.
The VA said they extended the deadline due to technical difficulties on the application site. High demand led to several applicants receiving error messages when submitting their intent to file.
The VA urged any Veterans who received this message to not worry, as they have logged their attempts to file. They said no Veterans will miss out on the benefits due to this issue.
