The VA launched PACT Act Summer VetFest in July to educate veterans, their families and survivors about the law and nudge them into applying for the benefits and health care they have earned.
The PACT Act is the largest extension of veteran health care and benefits in centuries and was signed into law by President Joe Biden Aug. 10, 2022, according to a June 27 news release.
“There are millions of veterans and survivors across America who are eligible for new health care and benefits, and we will not rest until every one of them gets what they’ve earned,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in the release. “That’s what this Summer VetFest is all about: educating veterans, their families and survivors — and encouraging them to apply today.”
The VA will hold more than 50 Summer VetFest events during July in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the release reported. The meetings will be informal summer get-togethers for veterans, their families, veteran advocates and the experts in VA health care and benefits who work with them.
Veterans can enroll in VA health care, get checked for toxic exposures, apply for PACT Act-related benefits and more with the assistance of VA staff at the events, according to the release. VA strongly advises all qualified veterans and survivors to apply for PACT Act-related benefits right away, or to indicate their intention to do so.
Veterans who submit their claims by Aug. 9 might have their benefits, if approved, retroactively applied Aug. 10, 2022, the date Biden signed the legislation into law, the release said.
Veterans have reportedly received PACT Act benefits totaling more than $1.4 billion since Biden signed the legislation into law, according to the news release.
More than 3.7 million veterans have received the new toxic exposure screenings, more than 3.7 million veterans have applied for PACT Act-related benefits, and more than 287,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care, which is 40,000 more veterans than during the same period last year and includes 94,000 veterans who are part of the PACT Act target population, the release said.
The VA's nationwide PACT Act Veteran outreach program, the biggest coordinated outreach effort in VA history, includes the PACT Act Summer VetFest as only one element, according to the release. The campaign's only objective is to guarantee all veterans and survivors who qualify receive the PACT Act-related health care and benefits to which they are entitled.
Campaign highlights include VA.gov/PACT, a one-stop-shop for veterans and survivors to learn about and apply for PACT Act-related care and benefits, within an hour of the Senate passing the PACT Act, the release said. Since then, the website received more than 10.3 million unique users and more than 13.4 million page views.
