Presumptive Conditions & Pension Changes

Presumptive Conditions & Pension Changes
Posted on 02/26/2021
Vietnam War Memorial The Manatee County Veterans Services Division wants to help make sure Veterans in the local community are aware of two important national changes that have taken place recently: (1) the addition of three new conditions to the Presumptive Conditions list related to Agent Orange and (2) the Expansion of Veterans Affairs Non-Service-Connected pension and aid and attendance eligibility.

New Herbicide Presumptive Disabilities (Agent Orange)

Veterans who were affected by exposure to the chemical herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, are now eligible for Veterans Affairs’ disability benefits if their Agent Orange exposure resulted in bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, or Parkinson’s Disease-like symptoms.

While presumptive conditions are determined typically by the Department of Veterans Affairs, based on significant supporting evidence from scientific studies, these conditions were added as part of a measure included in the Defense Department’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual congressional policy and spending bill.

Expansion of VA Non-Service-Connected Pension and Aid & Attendance Eligibility (H.R. 7105)

Provisions of this resolution related to the VA Pension allow more Veterans and surviving dependents to receive monetary benefits for long-term care or if they are low-income. The provision moved the recognized war period for Vietnam up from February 28, 1961, to November 1, 1955, through May 7, 1975.

The Veterans Affairs Pension is a needs-based program, only for Veterans served during a time of war and/or their survivors.

Veterans or surviving spouses of Veterans who were denied benefits for these disabilities or programs in the past, should contact their county Veterans advocates for reconsideration and application. Resident Veterans in Manatee County can call (941) 745-3795, and Sarasota County can call (941) 861-2899.

About Manatee County Neighborhood Services Department: Neighborhood Services provides a wide range of services focused on enhancing the overall quality of life for Manatee County residents. Through Health, Children’s, Aging, Veterans, Libraries, Probation and Fee-Assistance Services and Programs, the Neighborhood Services Department works to inform and connect residents to valuable resources. For more information, call (941) 749-4501, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @manateeneighbor, and follow Veterans Services on their Facebook page. For more information about Manatee County Government, call 941-748-4501 and follow on Facebook and Twitter.