VA Eastern Colorado screening veterans for toxic exposures

COLORADO (KRDO) -- Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care nurses are actively reaching out to veterans across Colorado to discuss military exposures.

The VA says this is an effort to help veterans benefit from early diagnoses and treatments.

According to the VA, toxic-exposure screenings were integrated last November into primary care in VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS), which serves more than 100,000 veterans in the Denver Metro, Pikes Peak, and rural areas.

Nearly half of the almost 40,000 veterans that have been screened since November have at least one exposure concern, the VA said. Under the new law, known as the PACT Act, the VA is recognizing 20 new presumptive conditions, including hypertension and various types of cancer and chronic respiratory conditions.

“This law helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they've earned and deserve,” said VA ECHCS Director Michael Kilmer. “VA will not rest until every Veteran gets the toxic exposure-related care and benefits they deserve.”

According to the VA, veterans who apply for PACT Act-related benefits before Aug. 10 will have benefits backdated to Aug. 10 last year—the day the bill was signed.

Veterans enrolled in VA ECHCS may request a screening by sending a message in MyHealtheVet or leaving a voicemail at (720)-857-2511.

To apply for benefits or learn more about PACT Act claims and care, call 1-800-MYVA411 or visit VA.gov/PACT.

For more information on how to apply for VA health care, including the documents needed to determine eligibility, visit VA.gov/health-care/how-to-apply.