118,000 Minnesota veterans eligible for expanded health care

An additional 118,000 veterans in Minnesota, who may have been exposed to toxins while serving in the military, are now eligible to enroll directly in Veterans Affairs health care, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar Sunday. 

“All they have to show now is where they served,” Klobuchar said. “They may know they were exposed to toxins, but even if they don’t know, the VA is going to do the research for them. We’ve severely moved up the deadline so that more vets can be immediately eligible.”

The increased eligibility, which began on March 5, comes from an expansion of the 2022 PACT Act – which has so far brought health care to more than 700,000 veterans who had been exposed to Agent Orange, radiation, burning pits of waste and other toxins while serving.

In Minnesota, 8,000 veterans have applied since the law was first enacted, Klobuchar said.

“You don’t need to be sick to file a claim,” said Sue Ricker, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs health administrator chief. “Even if you don’t think you need health care today, or you might need it tomorrow or the next day or 30 years from now, all you have to do is enroll, and you’ll have access for life.”

The expansion means veterans could become eligible for health care up to eight years earlier than what was previously outlined. It “fast tracks” access to health care, she said. Veterans do not need to apply for disability compensation or VA benefits first.

Now, veterans qualify so long as they served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any combat zone after 9/11 – or if they were never deployed but were exposed to hazards while training or on active duty in the U.S. 

That could mean exposure to “chemicals, pesticides, lead, asbestos, certain paints, nuclear weapons or x-rays,” Ricker said. 

Additionally, veterans who have certain cancers and illnesses – including brain cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, chronic sinusitis and pulmonary fibrosis – do not have to prove their condition was caused by their service to qualify, which is necessary for other benefits. Every veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive toxic exposure screening.

Jerald Starks, 54, who died from acute myeloid leukemia two weeks ago, had received free health care under the act. He had been exposed to burning oil fields in Saudi Arabia while serving, his mother said.

His family wonders if he would still be alive today if he had received that care earlier, but they didn’t know he qualified for the PACT Act when he stopped working because of immense back pain. At the time, Starks struggled to access necessary MRI testing and other medical procedures.

“Unfortunately, it was taking quite a while to get that approved,” said Michelle Starks, Jerald’s wife. “That was before we knew about the PACT Act.”

Eventually, after an ER trip sent red flags to a radiologist, Jerald Starks was diagnosed with cancer. His mother, who knew about the PACT Act then, advocated for his coverage even though the doctors “didn’t know about it.” Within one day of applying, he was connected to health care that covered his hospital bills. 

The speed of approval is not always that swift, but the family thanks Jerald’s social worker for the quick turnaround. 

“It’s overwhelming sometimes to navigate the VA system,” Michelle Starks said. “I implore you to take steps right now to see if you qualify for care under this act. If you do it right now, then you’ll have the assurance that you can be proactive and get the care that you need, and that could help your family and even save your life.”

Jerald Starks is remembered as a loving son, husband and brother. He grew up in Bloomington and graduated from Kennedy High School – where he and his wife Michelle first met – then served in the U.S. Army for 16 years. When he came home, he worked in law enforcement and for the U.S. Postal Service. 

Veterans who may qualify are encouraged to visit VA.gov/PACT, meet with enrollment staff at the Minnesota VA, or call 1-800-MYVA411. Surviving family members of veterans may also be eligible for benefits.

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