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Poplar Bluff , MO — POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center wants to remind Veterans in Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas about a critically-important deadline

relating to the PACT Act. The PACT Act, known formally as the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, expands VA health

care eligibility to millions of Veterans who previously were not eligible, particularly those who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, the Post 9/11 era, and those who were subjected to various

toxic exposures during their service. Eligible Veterans and survivors are encouraged to file a claim, or submit their intent to file a claim, for PACT Act-related benefits as soon as

possible. Those who do so by Aug. 9 may, if granted, have their benefits backdated to Aug. 10, 2022, the date the PACT Act was signed into law. Information about filing claims, or intent to

do so, can be found at https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/ or https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim, respectively. “This is important,

because these are your benefits,” said John J. Pershing VA Medical Center Director Paul Hopkins. “So, don’t delay,” Nationwide, more than 665,000 Veterans have applied for PACT Act benefits

since the law’s inception, and more than 3.7 million Veterans have received toxic exposure screenings, a critical part of the law. At the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, its Cape

Girardeau VA Health Care Center, and 5 community-based outpatient clinics, more than 13,330 toxic exposure screenings have been conducted since they began in November. With Aug. 9

approaching, Hopkins wants Veterans and their survivors from across the region to recognize the importance of the PACT Act. “We want Veterans to understand the importance of the PACT Act and

how it can affect them,” Hopkins. “It’s important to apply for benefits, even if you have been turned down previously. This lets us document any potential conditions and toxic exposures you

may have experienced.” More information about the PACT Act, including eligibility for family members or dependents of deceased Veterans, along with Vietnam- and Cold War-era Veteran

eligibility and specifics on presumptive conditions, can be found online at https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/. Questions also may be answered by calling

573-686-4151, extension 52177.