The two most important steps anyone can take right now: make sure your contact information is current with your county’s benefits office, and watch your mailbox closely for any letters from the county or state health department. Updates can be made by phone through your local county benefits office or online through a BenefitsCal account.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing, who it affects, and where to turn for help.

**Immigration-related changes**

Noncitizens — including undocumented immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people with pending immigration cases — face some of the biggest changes, and even lawful permanent residents could see effects. The California Department of Health Care Services has published an immigration status chart to help people determine whether these changes apply to them. Anyone affected will receive written notice.

For undocumented immigrants specifically:

Beginning January 1, undocumented adults age 19 and older can no longer apply for new Medi-Cal coverage, though children remain eligible regardless of status. Those already enrolled will keep their benefits as long as they renew on time. If coverage lapses because a renewal is missed, there’s a three-month window to reapply before losing eligibility altogether. After that window closes, re-enrollment isn’t possible.

Anyone who loses full Medi-Cal coverage may still qualify for emergency-only services, which are limited to pregnancy-related care, emergency room visits and nursing home care.

Starting January 1, 2027, this population will shift to a fee-for-service version of Medi-Cal, which restricts some types of coverage. Doctor visits, prescriptions and mental health treatment won’t be affected, but patients should confirm their provider accepts this version of Medi-Cal or find a new one by calling 1-800-541-5555.

Adults between 19 and 64 will also need to prove they’re working or volunteering at least 80 hours a month, though students, people with disabilities and parents of young children are exempt. Starting July 1, 2027, adults in this group will lose dental coverage, and those between 19 and 59 will be required to pay a $30 monthly premium.

Children and pregnant women will remain eligible for full Medi-Cal benefits throughout these changes.

For refugees, asylum seekers and some green card holders:

Beginning January 1, 2027, refugees, asylum seekers, people with humanitarian parole, and survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking will move to Medi-Cal’s fee-for-service system. They’ll still be able to see their doctor, fill prescriptions and visit the dentist, but without traditional insurance coverage. Those whose current provider doesn’t accept this version of Medi-Cal can find a new one by calling 1-800-541-5555.

Six months later, this group will lose full Medi-Cal and dental coverage entirely, retaining only pregnancy-related and emergency care.

Community health workers, known as promotoras, along with legal aid organizations, can help answer questions about how these changes apply to individual circumstances.

**Changes for adults without children**

Roughly 5 million Californians gained Medi-Cal coverage after the Obama-era expansion opened eligibility to low-income adults without children. That group now faces tougher requirements to keep their coverage.

Work requirements: Starting January 1, adults ages 19 to 64, along with many immigrants, must show at least 80 hours a month of work, volunteering or part-time schooling to remain eligible.

Exemptions apply to children, seniors, pregnant women, people with disabilities or serious health conditions or substance use disorders, Medicare recipients, people recently released from incarceration, American Indian and Alaska Native populations, and some former foster youth.

The state will mail a letter to anyone required to meet these new standards. Most renewal packets arrive in bright yellow envelopes, though notices can vary in appearance. Recipients should respond promptly to avoid a lapse in coverage.

More frequent renewals: Beginning next March, the state will check Medi-Cal eligibility every six months for adults 19 to 64 and for many immigrants, reviewing income, employment status and other qualifying factors. Some renewals may happen automatically; otherwise, expect a letter requesting more information.

**Seniors and people with disabilities**

Starting July 1, 2027, Californians 65 and older, along with people with disabilities, will be subject to an asset limit of $21,000, which includes savings accounts, cash and property other than a primary home or vehicle. For couples, the combined limit is $31,000. This rule applies to noncitizens as well. County benefits offices and local legal aid groups can help clarify what counts toward that limit, and the state has published a frequently asked questions page addressing the new asset test.

**If you’re worried about losing coverage, here’s what to do now**

Not everyone will be affected, and some people won’t need to take any action at all. Anyone required to report work hours or other information will be notified by mail or, for those with an online account, through the BenefitsCal portal. It’s worth checking both regularly.

The state hasn’t finalized a timeline for when initial notices will go out, but advocates say the smartest move right now is simply keeping personal information current, especially since rules continue to evolve.

“It’s critical that people check their mail, watch for communications from the county, and respond to any requests for information,” said Jack Dailey, health policy director at the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.

If you receive a notice: You should have adequate advance warning before benefits are actually suspended, so respond to any notice of action as quickly as possible.

If you’re told your benefits will be terminated and disagree with that decision, you have the right to appeal and request a state hearing, which allows you to keep your benefits temporarily while the appeal is under review, according to Alicia Emanuel, an attorney with the National Health Law Program.

If you’ve already lost coverage: There’s a 90-day window to have it reinstated without filing an entirely new application. Submit the requested information within that period, and if you still qualify, your coverage shouldn’t lapse. After 90 days, you’ll need to start the application process over.

**Where to find free assistance**

Promotoras — community health workers trained by organizations such as Visión y Compromiso — can meet with residents in their own neighborhoods, explain benefits in plain language, and help with Medi-Cal applications. Rosa López, a promotora in Long Beach, said many immigrant families worry about losing coverage. “I tell them, if you don’t have status, don’t worry about that right now. Your health comes first,” she said.

Community health clinics typically employ benefits counselors, and legal aid groups offer free consultations for anyone confused by an official letter. The Health Consumer Alliance can be reached at 1-888-804-3536 or through its website. The state also runs a help line at 1-800-541-5555 and keeps an updated Medi-Cal changes page online.

One more important point: Medi-Cal eligibility isn’t limited to a single pathway. People can qualify through several different routes based on income, age, disability status or pregnancy. Before the state can terminate benefits under one category, it must first determine whether a person still qualifies under any other. “That’s a critical protection, because sometimes a person is eligible through a different pathway,” Emanuel said. By law, Medi-Cal is also required to provide free language assistance to anyone with limited English proficiency.

Original source: CalMatters

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For anyone enrolled in Medi-Cal, or worried about a family member’s coverage, health advocates offer two pieces of straightforward advice: make sure your contact information is current with your county benefits office, and watch your mailbox closely for official notices.

Updating your information can be done by phone through your local county office or online through a BenefitsCal account. Below is a breakdown of what’s changing, who it affects, and where residents can turn for assistance.

Immigration status changes

The most significant shifts affect noncitizens, including people without legal status, refugees, asylum seekers, and some green card holders. The state has published an immigration status chart to help residents determine whether the new rules apply to them. Those affected will receive a formal letter.

For undocumented immigrants, the changes are substantial. As of January 1, adults over 19 without legal status can no longer newly enroll in Medi-Cal, though children remain eligible regardless of status. People already enrolled can keep their coverage as long as they renew on schedule. Miss the deadline, and there’s a three-month window to reapply before that door closes for good.

Anyone who loses full coverage can still apply for emergency-only Medi-Cal, which covers pregnancy, emergency room visits and nursing home care.

Beginning January 1, 2027, this same group will shift into a “fee-for-service” version of Medi-Cal that changes how care is delivered, though routine doctor visits, prescriptions and mental health treatment remain covered. Residents should confirm their current doctor accepts this version of Medi-Cal, or call 1-800-541-5555 to locate a provider who does.

Additionally, adults between 19 and 64 will need to document at least 80 hours a month of work, volunteering or an equivalent activity — though students, people with disabilities and parents of young children are exempt. Starting July 1, 2027, dental coverage for adults in this category ends, and those between 19 and 59 will be charged a $30 monthly premium. Children and pregnant patients keep full Medi-Cal eligibility throughout.

Refugees, asylum seekers and certain green card holders face a similar transition. Starting January 1, 2027, this group — which includes humanitarian parolees and survivors of domestic violence or trafficking — moves into the fee-for-service system. They’ll still have access to doctors, medication and dental care, just without a traditional insurance plan structure. Six months after that, they’ll lose full-scope Medi-Cal and dental coverage altogether, retaining only pregnancy and emergency services.

Community health workers, known as promotoras, along with legal aid organizations, are available to help residents navigate these particular changes.

New work requirements for childless adults

Roughly 5 million Californians gained Medi-Cal access when eligibility expanded under the Affordable Care Act to cover childless adults and those earning just above the federal poverty line. That group now faces new hurdles to maintain coverage.

Starting January 1, adults ages 19 to 64, along with many immigrants, must show proof of at least 80 hours monthly of work, volunteer service or part-time schooling. Exemptions apply to children, seniors, pregnant people, those with disabilities or serious illnesses, people in addiction treatment, Medicare recipients, recently incarcerated individuals, Native American and Alaska Native residents, and certain former foster youth.

The state will notify affected residents by mail. Renewal packets typically arrive in bright yellow envelopes, though not always, so it’s important to open all correspondence from the county or state promptly.

Beginning next March, the state will also start verifying eligibility every six months instead of annually for adults 19 to 64 and many immigrants, checking income, employment status and other qualifying factors. This may happen automatically, but if additional information is needed, expect a follow-up letter.

Asset limits return for seniors and people with disabilities

Starting July 1, 2027, Californians age 65 and older, along with people with disabilities, will face new asset limits to qualify for Medi-Cal — no more than $21,000 in savings, cash or property beyond a primary home and vehicle. For couples, the combined limit is $31,000. This restriction applies to noncitizens as well. County benefits offices and local legal aid organizations can help clarify what counts toward that limit, and the state has published an FAQ addressing common questions.

What to do if you’re worried about losing coverage

Not everyone will be impacted, and some residents won’t need to take any action at all. But if new reporting requirements do apply, expect a notice either by mail or through the BenefitsCal online portal — so it’s worth checking both regularly.

The state hasn’t set a firm timeline for when the first notices will go out, but advocates emphasize that keeping personal information updated now is the most important step, particularly with rules still evolving.

“It’s so vital they watch the mail, look out for communications from the county, and are responsive to requests for information,” said Jack Dailey, director of health policy at the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.

Residents should have ample warning before any termination of benefits, so responding quickly to official notices is critical. If a notice arrives stating that coverage will be canceled and the recipient disagrees, they have the right to appeal and request a state hearing. According to Alicia Emanuel, a staff attorney with the National Health Law Program, that process “allows you to temporarily freeze an adverse action and keep your benefits while your appeal is being reviewed.”

For those who have already lost coverage, there’s a 90-day window to restore benefits without submitting a brand-new application. Providing the requested paperwork within that period should prevent a gap in coverage for those who still qualify. After 90 days, a new application is required.

Where Southern California residents can turn for help

Promotoras — community health workers trained through organizations such as Vision y Compromiso — can meet residents in their own neighborhoods and walk them through Medi-Cal applications in plain language. Rosa Lopez, a promotora working in Long Beach, said many immigrant families are anxious about losing coverage. “I tell them you don’t have status, don’t worry. The first thing is your health,” she said.

Local community clinics frequently employ benefits counselors, and legal aid organizations offer free guidance for anyone confused by an official notice. Residents can reach the Health Consumer Alliance at 1-888-804-3536, by email at ContactHCA@lassd.org, or through its website. The state also operates a helpline at 1-800-541-5555 and maintains updated information on its Medi-Cal changes webpage.

One additional point worth remembering: Medi-Cal eligibility isn’t limited to a single category. There are multiple pathways to qualify based on income, age, disability status or pregnancy, and the state is required to check all of them before terminating someone’s benefits under just one. “It’s a really critical protection because sometimes an individual is in fact eligible through a different pathway,” Emanuel said. By law, Medi-Cal must also provide free language assistance for residents with limited English proficiency.

Original source: CalMatters

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WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs issued a proposed rule outlining plans to expand the locations and time frames for which VA presumes exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides. If this proposed rule becomes final, VA will implement a new presumption of exposure to locations where herbicides were tested, used, or stored outside of Vietnam. Specifically, this proposed rule would add locations in the United States (full list of US locations where Agent Orange was tested or stored), Canada, and India to the existing presumptives for Agent Orange in Vietnam, Cambodia, Johnson Atoll, Guam, American Samoa, Korea, Laos, and Thailand.

A presumption of exposure means that VA automatically assumes that Veterans who served in certain locations were exposed to certain toxins. Presumptives lower the burden of proof required to receive disability benefits, helping Veterans get the benefits they deserve as quickly as possible. This expansion of presumptives will help Veterans who served in the specified locations receive health care and benefits for certain cancers and chronic conditions. To be eligible, a Veteran must have served in the identified location(s) during a specific time period and currently have a condition(s) presumptively associated with herbicide exposure.

Delivering world-class health care and benefits to toxic-exposed Veterans is a top priority for VA and the Biden-Harris Administration. As a part of President Biden’s pledge to serve Veterans with military toxic exposures, over the past few years, VA has expanded presumptive service connection for more than hundreds of  health conditions related to toxic exposures under the PACT Act – the largest expansion of Veteran care and benefits in generations. Thanks to this historic action, VA is delivering more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before in U.S. history.

“This proposed change would make it easier for Veterans exposed to herbicides who served outside Vietnam to access the benefits they so rightly deserve,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “Our goal is to provide every Veteran – of every era – with the VA health care and benefits they deserve, and this is another step in the right direction.”

Veterans who want to file an initial claim for a herbicide-related disability can visit VA’s website, use VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, or work with a VA-recognized Veterans Service Organization to assist with the application process. Veterans may also contact their state Veterans Affairs Office. Survivors can file claims for benefits based on the Veteran’s service if the Veteran died from at least one of the recognized presumptive herbicide diseases.

This proposed rule also codifies provisions in the PACT Act, the Blue Water Navy Act of 2019, and the National Defense Authorization Act for 2021.

For more information about the changes, visit The Federal Register.

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The $5+ million campaign, “What You Earned,” focuses on educating Veterans and their families about some of the most tangible, cost-saving benefits of using VA – including low-cost or no-cost health care, debt-free education, $0 down payments on home loans, no-cost memorial services and burials, and much more. The campaign uses actual cost comparisons to demonstrate Veterans’ savings with VA vs. without VA, with the goal of encouraging Veterans who are not enrolled in VA health care or receiving VA benefits to apply for the first time.

This first-of-its-kind campaign – which will run across television, print, radio, digital media, billboards, public transit, and social media – is the next phase of VA’s aggressive efforts to bring new Veterans to VA. While last year’s campaign resulted in record numbers of Veterans applying for VA benefits, many of our nation’s heroes are still not connected with VA. The new campaign aims to reach these Veterans by providing clear, compelling reasons for them to sign up for what they’ve earned.

“All too often, Veterans don’t know about the full scope of the health care and benefits they’ve earned through their service to our nation,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “The goal of this campaign is to change that. We want to show Veterans and their families – in the most tangible terms possible – how VA can help them afford to stay healthy, go to school, get a job, buy a home, and more.”

“Our goal is to bring as many Veterans as possible to VA, because study after study shows that Veterans who use VA do better,” said Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher. “But we need to give Veterans a clear and compelling reason to sign up, and that’s what this campaign is all about: showing Veterans that they can save thousands of dollars by using their earned VA health care, home loans, GI Bill benefits, memorial services, and more.”

This new advertising campaign is a part of the largest outreach effort in VA history, which VA launched after President Biden signed the PACT Act into law as a part of his Unity Agenda for the nation. Thus far, the effort has resulted in an all-time record number of Veteran benefits applications in 2023; a 25% increase in health care enrollments year-over-year; an 80% awareness among Veterans of the PACT Act; and more. Key aspects of the effort to date include:

• Media coverage: During fiscal year 2023, VA generated 395,000+ news articles and 137,000+ broadcast pieces – a 21% increase year-over-year – with the goal of informing Veterans about the care and benefits they’ve earned.
• Events: VA has hosted more than 2,500 PACT Act-related events for Veterans across all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
• Advertising: VA has executed a MarCom award-winning PACT Act advertising campaign across streaming, print, radio, podcasts, signage, sports sponsorships, digital advertising, and more. The $10+ million campaign has led millions of visitors to VA.gov/PACT and generated $13 million in donated media through public service announcements.
• Direct Veteran outreach: VA has sent hundreds of millions of PACT Act-related emails and letters to Veterans to encourage them to apply. In September, VA also executed its first-ever text marketing campaign to encourage eligible Veterans to enroll in health care before the September 30 PACT Act deadline, resulting in a 179% increase in year-to-date health care enrollments for that specific cohort of Veterans.
• Collaborations: VA has worked with the White House, Congress, Veterans Service Organizations, influencers (Jon Stewart), sports teams (Tampa Bay Rays), and major corporations (CVS and USAA) to spread the word about the PACT Act.
• VA.gov/PACT: Within one hour of the Senate passage of the PACT Act, VA launched VA.gov/PACT – a one-stop-shop for Veterans and survivors to learn about and apply for PACT Act-related care and benefits. Since then, the website has garnered more than 22 million page views.
• Print, digital, and video resources: VA has developed a library of videos, flyers, and information – in more than 10 languages – to help Veterans understand what this new law means for them.

In addition to focusing on Veterans who are newly eligible for VA care and benefits under the PACT Act, the campaign is also designed to reach historically underserved Veterans – including women Veterans, Black Veterans, Hispanic Veterans, younger Veterans, and Veterans living in rural areas. The campaign will feature ads in both English and Spanish.

Moving forward, VA will continue to aggressively reach out to Veterans to encourage them to come to VA. VA encourages all Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors to learn more about VA and apply for their world-class health care and earned benefits today.

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“As Americans, it’s our sacred obligation to serve Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors — just like they’ve served us,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We at VA are proud of the care and benefits we provided these heroes during 2023, but we’re not stopping here. We won’t rest until every Veteran gets the care and benefits they deserve.”

All-time record accomplishments for Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors in fiscal year 2023 include:

• Providing more world-class health care to Veterans: VA delivered more than 116 million health care appointments to Veterans, surpassing the previous all-time record by more than 3 million appointments.
• Delivering more earned benefits to Veterans and survivors: VA delivered $163 billion in earned benefits, including $150 billion in compensation and pension benefits, to 1,535,685 Veterans and survivors – all of which are all-time records. VA also processed 1,981,854 Veteran and survivor claims, surpassing the previous all-time record by 15.9%.
• Encouraging more Veterans to apply for earned benefits: Thanks to the largest outreach campaign in VA history, Veterans submitted 2,433,729 claims applications – an all-time record and 39% more than in 2022. Veterans also submitted 2,299,815 intents-to-file – an all-time record and 62% more than in 2022.
• Supporting more Veteran caregivers: VA provided services, resources, and assistance to a record 74,270 Veteran family caregivers – supporting them while they take care of the Veterans they love.
• Supporting more Veterans in crisis: The Veterans Crisis Line received 1,002,971 million calls, texts, and chat – surpassing the previous all-time record by 15.1%. VA also provided no-cost emergency health care to 33,542 Veterans in acute suicidal crises through a new program launched in January.
• Providing more dental care to Veterans: VA dental clinics provided 5.5 million procedures to more than 560,000 patients, surpassing the previous all-time record by 4.8%.
• Providing more life insurance coverage for Veterans: VA provided an all-time record $1.5 trillion in life insurance coverage to 5.6 million policyholders. This includes new coverage awarded through VA life, a new program that extended life insurance access to millions of Veterans.
• Screening more Veterans for toxic exposures: VA screened an all-time record 4,599,009 Veterans for toxic exposures, a critical step to catching and treating potentially life-threatening health conditions as early as possible.
• Providing more resting places to our nation’s heroes: A record 5.4 million people — including 4.1 million Veterans — are now buried in VA national cemeteries.
• Commemorating more Veterans on the Veterans Legacy Memorial: Nearly 10 million of the nation’s heroes now have individual commemorative pages in the Veterans Legacy Memorial – the nation’s first digital platform dedicated to the memory of Veterans and service members. This is an all-time record, reflecting an increase of more than 5 million Veterans over the past year alone.
• Processing more Veteran appeals: The Board of Veterans’ Appeals processed 103,245 Veteran appeals, an all-time record and 8.3% increase over 2022.

Many of these accomplishments for Veterans have been made possible by the PACT Act – the largest expansion of VA health care and benefits in generations — which President Biden signed into law in August 2022. For more information on how the PACT Act is helping Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors, visit the PACT Act dashboard.

Investments in VA’s workforce are another key reason why VA has been able to deliver care and benefits to Veterans at record rates. In fiscal year 2023, VA’s Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits Administration both grew at the fastest rates in 15 years. VHA now has more than 400,000 employees for the first time in history, and VBA now has more than 32,000 employees for the first time in history. VA’s retention efforts have also led to a 20% decrease in turnover rate among VHA employees from 2022 to 2023. For more information on VA’s hiring efforts, visit VA’s workforce dashboard.

These accomplishments build on many other efforts by VA and the Biden-Harris Administration to expand and improve care and benefits for Veterans over the past year. For example, VA has expanded maternity care, breast cancer screenings, and reproductive care for Veterans; housed more than 40,000 formerly homeless Veterans in 2022 and exceeded the pace to do so again in 2023; expanded caregiver support to Veterans of all eras; updated its 1959 mission statement to be inclusive of all those who have served in our nation’s military; waived copayments for eligible Native American and Alaska Native Veterans; consistently outperformed non-VA hospitals in health care ratings and Veteran outcomes; led all organizations, public or private, in the prestigious American Customer Satisfaction Index; and taken many other actions to expand access to care and benefits to Veterans.

Moving forward, VA will continue to aggressively reach out to Veterans to encourage them to come to VA. VA encourages all Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors to learn more about VA and apply for their world-class health care and earned benefits today.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of Social Security recipients will get a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, far less than this year’s historic boost and reflecting moderating consumer prices.

The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, means the average recipient will receive more than $50 more every month beginning in January, the Social Security Administration said Thursday. The AARP estimated that increase at $59 per month.

“This will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Social Security’s acting commissioner.

About 71 million people — including retirees, disabled people and children — receive Social Security benefits.

Thursday’s announcement follows this year’s 8.7% benefit increase, brought on by record 40-year-high inflation, which pushed up the price of consumer goods. With inflation easing, the next annual increase is markedly smaller.

“Compared to last year’s 8.7% increase, this is going to feel small and the perception is that its not keeping up with the inflation and the higher costs that retirees are still seeing,” said Martha Shedden, president of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts.

On top of that, an anticipated increase in Medicare premiums for 2024 will eat into the Social Security cost-of-living bump.

Medicare hasn’t announced the increase for traditional Medicare, but said the cost of Medicare Advantage plans is expected to remain stable.

Still, senior advocates applauded the annual Social Security adjustment.

“Retirees can rest a little easier at night knowing they will soon receive an increase in their Social Security checks to help them keep up with rising prices,” AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins said. “We know older Americans are still feeling the sting when they buy groceries and gas, making every dollar important.”

Social Security is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will be $168,600 for 2024, up from $160,200 for 2023.

Retirees whose sole income comes from Social Security are not subject to taxes on that income.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the social insurance program, said that the COLA is a “reminder of Social Security’s unique importance” and that “Congress should pass legislation to protect and expand benefits.”

However, the program faces a severe financial shortfall in the coming years.

The annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report released in March said the program’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2033. If the trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay only 77% of scheduled benefits, the report said.

There have been legislative proposals to shore up Social Security, but they have not made it past committee hearings.

A March poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that most U.S. adults are opposed to proposals that would cut into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and 79% of people polled said they oppose reducing the size of Social Security benefits.

The Social Security Administration is still without a permanent leader. President Joe Biden in July nominated former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to lead the agency.

The COLA is calculated according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, or CPI. But there are calls for the agency to instead use a different index, the CPI-E, which measures price changes based on the spending patterns of the elderly, like health care, food and medicine costs.

Any change to the calculation would require congressional approval. But with decades of inaction on Social Security and with the House at a standstill after the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., seniors and their advocates say they don’t have confidence any sort of change will be approved soon.

The cost of living adjustments will have a big impact on people like Alfred Mason, an 83-year-old Louisiana resident. Mason said that “any increase is welcomed, because it sustains us for what we are going through.”

As inflation is still high, he said, anything added to his income “would be greatly appreciated.”

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WASHINGTON — VA announced that Veterans and their survivors have filed more than one million claims for toxic exposure-related benefits under the PACT Act since President Biden signed it into law Aug. 10, 2022. VA has processed more than 551,000 of these claims, granting 77.9% of them and awarding more than $2.2 billion in earned benefits to Veterans and survivors. Supporting Veterans and their families is a core pillar in President Biden’s Unity Agenda for the nation, and today’s announcement helps deliver on his promise to comprehensively address military related toxic exposure.

Thanks to the largest outreach campaign in VA history, Veterans and survivors are applying for their earned benefits at record rates. In this fiscal year alone, Veterans and survivors have submitted 2.29 million total claims (PACT and non-PACT) — 40.4% more year-to-date than last fiscal year, which was the previous all-time record. Veterans have also submitted more than 2.1 million “intents to file” during this fiscal year — 53.1% more than all of last fiscal year and also an all-time record.

The PACT Act is the biggest expansion of Veteran health care and benefits in decades. VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim — or submit their intent to file a claim — for PACT Act-related benefits now.

“Thanks to President Biden, the heroes who fought for our country are now getting health care and compensation for the conditions that followed them home from war,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We’re proud that more than one million Veterans and survivors have applied for their hard-earned benefits to date, but this is just the beginning — and we won’t rest until every Veteran and every survivor gets the VA health care and benefits they deserve.”

Partly due to the PACT Act, VA is delivering more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before. Key results to date include:

• Delivering benefits to Veterans and their survivors: VA has processed 1.85 million total Veteran claims (PACT and non-PACT) thus far in this fiscal year —15.7% more to date than last fiscal year and already surpassing last year’s all-time record total of 1.7 million claims processed.
• Increasing Veteran access to health care: Since Aug. 10, 378,995 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care. This includes more than 158,691 enrollees from the PACT Act population (Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post-9/11 era Veterans).  
• Screening Veterans for toxic exposures: More than 4.4 million enrolled Veterans have received 5-minute screenings for toxic exposures from VA under the PACT Act.

Right now, there is also a special enrollment period for Veterans to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits. Specifically, until 11:59 p.m., local time, Sept. 30, Veterans who deployed to a combat zone, never enrolled in VA health care, and left active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, are eligible to enroll in VA health care without first applying for disability compensation benefits. VA encourages all of these Veterans to visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and sign up for VA health care before the deadline.

VA is delivering health care and benefits at record rates partly due to a dramatic increase in hiring at VA. For the first time in VA’s history, the Veterans Health Administration has over 400,000 employees and the Veterans Benefits Administration has over 31,000 employees — and both organizations are growing at the fastest rates in 20 years. Moving forward, VA will continue to modernize and expand capacity to deliver health care and benefits to Veterans as quickly and effectively as possible.

For more information on VA’s implementation of the PACT Act, visit the PACT Act Dashboard. VA is publishing this dashboard every other Friday to document the implementation of this legislation and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. The next dashboard, which will reflect the data in this release, will publish on Sept. 15. 

Veterans and survivors may apply or learn more about the PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MYVA411.

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WASHINGTON — VA released a PACT Act Year-In-Review Dashboard showcasing the care and benefits that VA has delivered to Veterans and their survivors since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law on Aug. 10, 2022. Partly due to this historic law, VA is delivering more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before. Key results to date include:

• Delivering benefits to Veterans and their survivors: VA has delivered more than $1.85 billion in earned PACT Act benefits to Veterans and their survivors. VA is delivering these benefits to Veterans at the fastest rate in our nation’s history, processing 1.65 million total Veteran claims thus far in this fiscal year (including 458,659 PACT Act claims) — 16% more year-to-date than the previous all-time record.
• Increasing Veteran access to health care: Since August 10, 332,252 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care — which is nearly 50,000 more enrollees than during the previous year. This includes more than 113,719 enrollees from the PACT Act population (Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post-9/11 Veterans).  
• Screening Veterans for toxic exposures: More than 4.1 million Veterans have received free, 10-minute screenings for toxic exposures from VA under the PACT Act — a critical step to catching and treating potentially life-threatening health conditions as early as possible.
• Spreading the word to Veterans and their survivors: Thanks to the largest outreach campaign in VA history, Veterans and survivors are applying for their earned benefits at record rates. In this fiscal year, Veterans and survivors have submitted 1.95 million total claims (including 843,448 PACT Act-specific claims) — 37% more than last year and on pace to break an all-time record. Veterans have also submitted 1.65 million “intents to file” during this fiscal year — 44% more than last year and also on pace to break an all-time record.

The PACT Act is here to stay, and Veterans and survivors can apply anytime for the care and benefits they’ve earned. Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their intent to file) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m., ET, Monday, Aug. 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to Aug. 10, 2022 — the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law. This is an extension from the original deadline of Aug. 9, 2023. VA encourages all Veterans and survivors to visit VA.gov/PACT to apply — or submit their intent to file — today.

“Thanks to President Biden, millions of Veterans who fought for our country are now getting health care and compensation for the conditions that followed them home from war,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We’re proud that so many Veterans and survivors have already benefited from the PACT Act, but this is just the beginning: we won’t rest until every Veteran and every survivor gets the VA health care and benefits they deserve.”

For more information about how one year of the PACT Act has helped Veterans, visit VA’s PACT Year-in-Review Dashboard. This dashboard is a special highlight edition of VA’s regular PACT Act dashboard, which VA publishes every other Friday to document the implementation of this legislation and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. The Year-in-Review Dashboard includes national and state-level data on PACT Act benefits and health care.

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Throughout July, VA will host 50+ Summer VetFest events across all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. The events will be casual summer gatherings featuring Veterans, their families, Veteran advocates, and the VA health care and benefits professionals who serve them. At the events, VA staff will be ready to help Veterans apply for PACT Act-related benefits (or submit an intent to file), enroll in VA health care, get screened for toxic exposures, and more.

VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim — or submit their intent to file a claim — for PACT Act-related benefits now. Veterans who do so by Aug. 9 may have their benefits, if granted, backdated to Aug. 10, 2022, the day that President Biden signed the bill into law.  

“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,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “That’s what this Summer VetFest is all about: educating Veterans, their families, and survivors — and encouraging them to apply today.”

Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law, VA has delivered more than $1.4 billion in PACT Act benefits to Veterans. Additionally, more than 665,000 Veterans have applied for PACT Act-related benefits, more than 3.7 million Veterans have received the new toxic exposure screenings, and more than 287,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care (this is 40,000 more enrollments than during the same timeframe last year, and it includes 94,000 enrollees from the PACT Act target population) .

The PACT Act Summer VetFest is just one component of VA’s nationwide PACT Act Veteran outreach campaign, which is the largest coordinated outreach campaign in VA history. The campaign has one goal: ensuring that every eligible Veteran and survivor gets the PACT Act-related health care and benefits they have earned. Highlights of the campaign to date:

• Within one hour of the Senate passage of the PACT Act, VA launched VA.gov/PACT — a one-stop-shop for Veterans and survivors to learn about and apply for PACT Act-related care and benefits. Since then, the website has garnered more than 13.4 million page views from 10 million unique visitors.
  • VA is executing an aggressive national and local earned media campaign, seeking to inform Veterans and survivors about the PACT Act and encourage them to apply. Between Aug. 10, 2022, and June 9, 2023, these efforts have helped generate 30,000+ news articles and 24,000+ broadcast items about the PACT Act.VA is executing a nationwide, targeted advertising campaign across streaming video (Hulu, Roku, YouTube); print (Military Times, Military.com, USA Today); radio (satellite, traditional); podcasts; signage (including Times Square ads, D.C. Metro ads, airports, billboards, and more); sponsorships (such as Military and Armed Forces Bowls); digital advertising, including Search (Google and Bing), Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, iHeartRadio, ESPN online, RallyPoint, and more. To date, VA has spent more than $7.5 million on PACT Act advertising, driving millions of visitors to VA.gov/PACT, and generating hundreds of millions of impressions. Through Public Service Announcement distribution along with vendor negotiations, VA has also achieved $7.9 million in added value between October 2022 and May 2023, more than doubling the media value of PACT Act efforts. By the Aug. 9 filing deadline, we anticipate that VA will spend more than $11.4 million. This campaign is focused on reaching all eligible Veterans and survivors, especially those who have not previously come to VA for benefits or care.Since Aug. 10, 2022, VA has hosted hundreds of PACT Act-related events across all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico with Veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, and Veteran advocates. This includes a PACT Act Week of Action in December, when VA hosted more than 120 events across the nation. At the events, Veterans applied for benefits, got screened for toxic exposures, enrolled in VA health care, and learned more about what the PACT Act could mean for them and their families.VA has developed a library of PACT Act flyers, videos, and fact sheets to help Veterans understand what this new law means for them. The videos have been viewed more than 4 million times across platforms, and the resources have been shared directly with Veterans, VA facilities, Veterans Service Organizations, and other partners nationwide. VA has also released PACT Act flyers and information in more than 10 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
  • VA has sent more than 300 million PACT Act-related e-mails to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors, which were opened more than 94 million times.

VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to apply for their earned PACT Act-related health care and benefits now. Veterans and survivors can apply or learn more about the PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT, by calling 1-800-MYVA411, or by attending one of July’s events.

For more information about VA’s implementation of the PACT Act, visit the PACT Act Dashboard. VA is publishing this dashboard every other Friday to document the implementation of this law and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. 

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The Agency Equity Team, known as the I*DEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access) Council, will be responsible for helping VA improve outcomes for historically underserved Veterans, identifying and eliminating any disparities in VA health care and benefits, creating and implementing a VA Equity Action Plan, listening to and learning from historically underserved Veteran communities, and more. The Council will also work to eliminate disparities and barriers to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain employees, including those from historically underserved communities. The Council will report directly to VA’s Deputy Secretary.

VA also announced that it has created a new Equity Assurance Office within the Veterans Benefits Administration. This office will work in coordination with the I*DEA Council to eliminate any disparities in the delivery of earned benefits to Veterans, including disability benefits, housing benefits, GI Bill benefits, and much more. This office will be led by Laurine Carson and will report directly to the Office of the Under Secretary for Benefits.   

VA is standing up the I*DEA Council and the VBA Equity Assurance Office as a part of its mission to provide world-class care and benefits to all Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. These efforts are also a part of executing President Biden’s Executive Orders on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, 13985 and 14091,whichcharged the federal government with advancing equity for all and addressing systemic racism in policies and programs.

“At VA, it’s our mission to serve all Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors as well as they’ve served our country,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “This new Agency Equity Team will help us deliver on that promise, making sure that we provide every Veteran with the world-class care and benefits they deserve — no matter their age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or sexual identity. The team’s first order of business will be identifying any disparities in VA health care and benefits and eliminating them.”

The new I*DEA Council is an evolution of VA’s I*DEA Sub-Council, which Secretary McDonough established in 2021 to embed inclusion, diversity, equity and access into all VA activities. The new action-oriented Council will be comprised of senior leaders from across VA, including leaders from the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, the National Cemetery Administration, the Center for Women Veterans, the Center for Minority Veterans, and other parts of VA. The Council will be empowered to make decisions across VA to ensure equitable outcomes for Veterans, and it will work directly with historically underserved Veteran communities, as well as Veterans Service Organizations, Congressional partners, union partners, and others.  

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