Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center to host 2024 PACT Act Claims Clinic

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — After 20 presumptive conditions were added to the qualifications for the PACT Act, even more veterans are able to get the benefits they deserve, and this week, the Clarksburg VA is looking to help some of those veterans out.

The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center will host the Huntington Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) team for a PACT ACT Claims Clinic on Thursday, July 25 at the Nathan Goff Armory in Clarksburg.

The PACT Act was signed into law by President Biden in August of 2022 and has since been one of the largest enhancements to benefits for veterans.

In March of this year, 20 additional presumptive conditions were added to the PACT Act which has helped expand Healthcare Eligibility Benefits to millions of veterans nationwide including ones who have been exposed to various chemicals and toxins, as well as three other new cohorts.

Last year, the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center hosted a claims clinic that assisted in the submission of more than 300 individual claims and served more than 500 veterans. This year, the hospital is hoping to assist even more veterans.

At the clinic on Thursday, the VA will help enroll veterans who may not be within VA Health Care and will also help conduct toxic exposure screenings, a nonphysical process that will ask questions about the patient’s past and exposures to help determine if they qualify for benefits.

12 News spoke with Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center’s executive director, Barbara Forsha, on the importance of every veteran coming to the clinic to see if they’re eligible to apply for a claim.

“Veterans will often say, ‘you know, I don’t want to take benefits from another veteran’ or ‘I’m not sure that I qualify,’ and this is an opportune time for them to be able to get the benefits that they’re entitled to. Even if they don’t think that they’re entitled to it or will qualify, come check. Let our staff help them to figure out if they do or they don’t because this is a really great opportunity for them to be able to, not only get health care benefits, but other benefits as well and it’s better to try and see if they do qualify,” said Forsha.

The Huntington VBA will assist veterans in filing claims as well as checking in on the progress of claims that have already been filed.

Aside from claims, the VA will also provide information on a variety of different programs for veterans including its women’s health program, non-traditional pain management, the VA’s volunteer office, Invoke Rehab and its suicide prevention program.

The clinic will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center recommends that veterans bring their IDs and DD214 to help enroll them for benefits.

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