Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | 1:23 p.m.
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is expanding its coverage of veterans exposed to toxins and hazardous materials, giving more service members opportunities to receive treatment, the department announced Monday.
The expansion, which takes effect March 5, will allow all veterans exposed to hazardous materials to enroll directly into VA health care, according to the VA.
The change will give more veterans the opportunity to be screened for ill effects of exposure to hazardous materials, which was previously restricted to soldiers who served at certain times or in specific places.
“If you’re a Veteran who may have been exposed to toxins or hazards while serving our country, at home or abroad, we want you to come to us for the health care you deserve,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement.
The change phases out certain elements of the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act.
Veterans will not need to apply for VA disability compensation benefits to be eligible for health care, the agency said.
The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System leads the nation in toxic screenings for veterans, Environmental Health Registry Coordinator Matthew Boles said.
The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System serves more than 71,000 veterans. Almost 45,000 have gone through toxic screenings.
Any veteran who may have been exposed to any kind of hazardous material should sign up for toxic screening registries, if it applies to them, Boles said.
Applying for the registry allows veterans to go through free health screenings and helps researchers better understand the long-term effects of exposure, officials said.
There are six registries for different kinds of exposure: Agent Orange Registry, Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, Gulf War Registry, Ionizing Radiation Registry, Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Program and the Toxic Embedded Fragment Surveillance Center.
While many VA centers participate in one or two of the registries, the one in Southern Nevada covers all six, Boles said.
Boles, who leads classes for veterans about the registries, said most of his classes usually have between 50 and 100 attendees.
Veterans do not have to sign up for registries to be eligible for the expanded health care options, the VA said.
