U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Friday urging an extension of the enrollment period deadline for veterans applying to retrieve retroactive benefits under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act.

Last year, the historic PACT Act was signed into law to provide 3.5 million veterans with health care coverage for treating toxin-exposure-related health injuries— marking the VA’s most expansive health care benefits package. 

Following the PACT Act’s enactment, open enrollment has allowed veterans to file claims seeking coverage. While there is no formal end date to apply, veterans who file before Aug. 9, 2023, may receive benefits backdated to Aug. 10, 2022. As a result, the deadline has raised concerns from Veterans, primarily elderly and rural veterans who are unaware and potentially miss out on coverage.

This letter urges the VA to reconsider the enrollment period deadline for retroactive benefits to ensure all veterans receive their well-deserved health coverage in a timely manner. 

“In our rural areas, which are home to over 47,000 veterans, the ongoing challenges of limited broadband internet access has made it difficult for outreach to reach these communities,” Luján wrote. “Given the VA’s role as one of our nation’s largest health care providers, it is vital they provide an extension of enrollment benefits to ensure our veterans have the accessibility to file a claim.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.