WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey met with local veterans at VFW Post 7293 on Monday to promote the PACT Act, a large expansion of veterans health care benefits that government officials say is being underutilized.
Government officials believe about 100,000 Pennsylvanians are eligible for the expanded health care under the law, which Congress passed in 2022.
But so far, only about 20,000 Pennsylvanians have successfully applied for the benefits made available through the act, Casey said.
While some of this may be attributable to the lengthy application process — Casey said an efficient time is about five months — it's still likely the government needs to do more to connect with the men and women who put their well-being on the line serving their country, he said.
"We just have to keep getting the word out so the vets who aren't aware of these benefits can receive it," said Casey, D-Pa.
During his half-hour visit, Casey met with about a dozen veterans who served between the wars in Vietnam and Iraq. Many of them are now entitled to benefits through the PACT Act.
"The thing is, no vet is supposed to be left behind, and that's the way we look at it."Nathaniel Smith, commander of Whitehall VFW post
Freddie Reed is among that group. Reed said he was deployed to Iraq between 2007 and 2009, mostly in and around Mosul.
The air quality wasn't a top concern for him while on scouting missions, he said, but the soldiers couldn't help but notice the burn pits and thick smoke those pits emitted across the area.
Reed said he only learned about the PACT Act in the past week.
"I honestly couldn't believe I hadn't put in for anything under it yet, but that's going to happen pretty soon," Reed said.
He noted a friend of his who also served in the military had hoped to attend the event but had an an appointment with an ear, nose and throat doctor.
Presumption of benefits
Passed in 2022 with bipartisan support, the PACT Act shifts the burden for some military veterans seeking medical benefits. In the past, veterans applying for benefits needed to prove their service led to their disabilities.
While that is straightforward for veterans wounded in combat, it's far harder to prove for veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals or carcinogens. In many cases, it can take decades for the resulting illnesses or conditions to develop.
The PACT Act flips that arrangement around by presuming veterans or their survivors are eligible for benefits if they develop specific disabilities after serving in locations where known exposures occurred.
The act applies to military members who were exposed to burn pits in the Gulf War or after Sept. 11, 2001, and later developed brain cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, kidney cancer and pulmonary fibrosis, among other illnesses.
It also applies to veterans of the Vietnam War who develop monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance — a blood condition that increases the risk of getting serious illnesses related to bone marrow or blood.
U.S. military bases across the globe long used burn pits to dispose of solid waste — everything from electronics and medical waste to tires and plastic.
Private contractors and military personnel protested and sued over their usage before the federal government publicly recognized the pits exposed those in the area to toxic chemicals that can lead to health complications.
President Joe Biden has attributed his son Beau Biden's death from brain cancer to his exposure to burn pits while serving in Iraq.
Nathaniel Smith, commander of the Whitehall VFW post, served as commander of the VFW's Department of Pennsylvania in 2021 and 2022, when the act was moving through Congress.
He praised Casey and U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, for their early support of the bill. Many veterans, particularly from the Vietnam War, have struggled for decades to get the support they need after serving their country, he said. The medical assistance was long overdue, he said.
"The thing is, no vet is supposed to be left behind, and that's the way we look at it," Smith said.
"We just have to keep getting the word out so the vets who aren't aware of these benefits can receive it."U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.
Casey's stop came as he seeks his fourth term in office. He will appear unopposed in this month's Democratic primary and is expected to face Republican David McCormick in the November election.
Republicans are seeking to flip the Senate away from Democratic control and set their sights on his seat. However, pundits say Casey will be difficult to knock off as he's a well-funded incumbent, the son of a former governor and possesses some of the best name recognition in the state.
McCormick, who has ratcheted up his campaign stops in eastern Pennsylvania in recent weeks, is the former CEO of the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates.
The Gulf War veteran served in President George W. Bush's administration before running for U.S. Senate in 2022. He lost the Republican primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz but is running unopposed in the primary this year.
Veterans seeking to apply for benefits are encouraged to seek assistance from their local Office of Veterans Affairs.
Lehigh County: 610-782-3295, veteransaffairs@lehighcounty.org
Northampton County: 610-829-4875
