NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jeff Herndon, Public Affairs Officer with the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita notes that there is an important deadline connected with the PACT Act, particularly for recent veterans, coming up Saturday.
"Any veteran who served in a combat zone after Nov. 30, 1998, if they were discharged between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2013, they are eligible for VA health care," Herndon said. "They have to get their application completed before midnight local time on Sept. 30, 2023. That's this Saturday."
You can find out more about eligibility when you visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411, or you can come by the VA Outpatient Clinic at 1625 East 30th and the front office will know how to apply. The VA Outpatient Clinic is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"Especially when it comes to some of those health conditions they have," Herndon said. "There is a presumption that those were service related. No questions asked. If you served in a location, you served during a certain period and you have a health condition, you're going to get that disability rating, and you're in for VA health care."
It's also important to note that no matter what happens in Washington, VA health care will continue.
"VA is not impacted by any government shutdown," Herndon said. "We still come to work. We still provide veterans with their health care."
Also, it is particularly important for Vietnam veterans to apply, as well, especially if they are now retired and their income structure is different, as they may be eligible when they weren't when they applied 20 years ago.
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