VA Extends Agent Orange Benefits to Vets

By Sheilah Downey

Military estimates say that more than 2.6 million soldiers were exposed to the toxic effects of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War between the years of 1965 and 1970.

Since the early 1990s the Veteran's Administration has covered some 12 illnesses caused by Agent Orange, including diabetes, leukemia and many types of cancer.

Today, 39 years later, the VA expanded health care coverage to include three more illnesses, estimated to benefit up to 250,000 veterans, according to a VA statement.

Noting the length of time it has taken the VA to respond to the health care needs of veterans sickened for years by Agent Orange, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said review procedures would improve.

“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”

Based on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the VA announced the establishment of a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans suffering from B cell leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and ischemic heart disease.

Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees, Agent Orange contained high levels of dioxin, a known carcinogen. The chemical has been linked to a number of illnesses in veterans and, later, in their children in the form of birth defects.

The VA statement said that Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits, according to the VA.