VET PFAS Act

Key Points

• The bill requires the VA to provide hospital care and medical services to veterans who served at military bases where people were exposed to PFAS chemicals, including through contaminated drinking water wells. Care would begin 90 days after the bill becomes law.
• It creates a legal presumption that certain diseases were caused by military service for veterans stationed at PFAS-contaminated bases. This means veterans would no longer need to prove their illness was connected to their time on the base to qualify for disability benefits.
• The specific conditions covered for PFAS exposure include diagnosed high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. The VA Secretary can add more conditions as research findings emerge.
• Family members who lived on contaminated bases, including children who were exposed while still in the womb, would also qualify for VA healthcare for covered conditions. This is a significant expansion since VA medical care is typically limited to veterans themselves.
• Reserve and National Guard members who served at contaminated installations would be treated the same as active duty troops for purposes of this bill, closing a gap that could otherwise leave part-time service members without coverage.