05-01-2022, 06:27 PM
Nine Respiratory Cancers Added To List of Exposure Illnesses
Veterans Affairs officials this week will add nine respiratory cancers to the list of illnesses
presumed caused by burn pit exposure, easing the path veterans suffering from those conditions
have to take to get disability benefits. The move follows promises by administration officials last
fall to speed up care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pit smoke in Iraq, Afghanistan and
other overseas locations over the last 32 years. In a statement, VA Secretary Denis McDonough
called the move overdue. “Veterans who suffer from rare respiratory cancers associated with their
service deserve the very best America has to offer, but they’ve had to wait for the care and benefits
they deserve for far too long,” he said. “That ends now.”
“With these new presumptives, veterans who suffer from these rare respiratory cancers will
finally get the world-class care and benefits they deserve, without having to prove causality
between their service and their condition.” The nine new conditions are:
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx;
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea;
• Adenocarcinoma of the trachea;
• Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea;
• Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung;
• Large cell carcinoma of the lung;
• Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung;
• Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung;
• Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung;
The policy applies to veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations beginning
Aug. 2, 1990, to the present, or in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti beginning Sept. 19,
2001, to the present. That includes all veterans who served in the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the
War in Afghanistan. VA officials did not say how many individuals would be affected by the new
policy, although they did classify the cancers as “rare” in their announcement.
The issue of presumptive benefits for burn pit victims has been a priority for advocates in recent
years because of the difficulty in linking many health problems to the toxic smoke present at many
overseas bases. Under most cases, veterans must show a direct link between their medical
condition and military service in order to receive disability benefits, which can amount to several
thousand dollars a month. But when VA grants presumptive status for an illness, that skips the
need for proof of connection, making the path to getting disability payouts easier. In the past, VA
has approved presumptive status for things such as exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, a known
carcinogen.
Last August, for the first time, the department approved presumptive status for veterans
suffering from three illnesses — asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis — related to burn pit smoke
overseas. As of last month, VA officials had processed about 16,500 new claims related to those
burn pit injuries, totaling $36 million in retroactive benefits. The White House also promised
additional research into other medical problems believed linked (but never conclusively proven)
to the toxic smoke produced when military members disposed of a variety of waste in open-air
trash fires.
VA officials said the decision to add the nine new conditions came after researchers found
“biological plausibility between airborne hazards and carcinogenesis of the respiratory tract” and
that “the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection.”
Both McDonough and President Joe Biden have said they will look to go even further with the
burn pit presumptives, but are limited somewhat by VA benefits regulations. “Supporting our
veterans is a critical part of the Unity Agenda I proposed for our nation,” Biden said in a statement.
“No matter where we live or who we voted for in the last election, we all agree that we should
serve our veterans as well as they have served us.
“My administration will continue to do everything in its power to support our nation’s veterans,
and I urge Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to comprehensively address toxic exposures and
further deliver the vital benefits our veterans have earned. I will sign it immediately.”
Congressional leaders are considering sweeping legislation that would grant presumptive disability
status for an even broader list of medical conditions believed linked to burn pits. Department
officials are expected to reach out to veterans who have filed burn pit claims in the past to inform
them of the changes. Individuals can also get more information on the benefits through the VA
web site. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane III | April 25, 2022 ++]
Veterans Affairs officials this week will add nine respiratory cancers to the list of illnesses
presumed caused by burn pit exposure, easing the path veterans suffering from those conditions
have to take to get disability benefits. The move follows promises by administration officials last
fall to speed up care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pit smoke in Iraq, Afghanistan and
other overseas locations over the last 32 years. In a statement, VA Secretary Denis McDonough
called the move overdue. “Veterans who suffer from rare respiratory cancers associated with their
service deserve the very best America has to offer, but they’ve had to wait for the care and benefits
they deserve for far too long,” he said. “That ends now.”
“With these new presumptives, veterans who suffer from these rare respiratory cancers will
finally get the world-class care and benefits they deserve, without having to prove causality
between their service and their condition.” The nine new conditions are:
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx;
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea;
• Adenocarcinoma of the trachea;
• Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea;
• Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung;
• Large cell carcinoma of the lung;
• Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung;
• Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung;
• Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung;
The policy applies to veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations beginning
Aug. 2, 1990, to the present, or in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti beginning Sept. 19,
2001, to the present. That includes all veterans who served in the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the
War in Afghanistan. VA officials did not say how many individuals would be affected by the new
policy, although they did classify the cancers as “rare” in their announcement.
The issue of presumptive benefits for burn pit victims has been a priority for advocates in recent
years because of the difficulty in linking many health problems to the toxic smoke present at many
overseas bases. Under most cases, veterans must show a direct link between their medical
condition and military service in order to receive disability benefits, which can amount to several
thousand dollars a month. But when VA grants presumptive status for an illness, that skips the
need for proof of connection, making the path to getting disability payouts easier. In the past, VA
has approved presumptive status for things such as exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, a known
carcinogen.
Last August, for the first time, the department approved presumptive status for veterans
suffering from three illnesses — asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis — related to burn pit smoke
overseas. As of last month, VA officials had processed about 16,500 new claims related to those
burn pit injuries, totaling $36 million in retroactive benefits. The White House also promised
additional research into other medical problems believed linked (but never conclusively proven)
to the toxic smoke produced when military members disposed of a variety of waste in open-air
trash fires.
VA officials said the decision to add the nine new conditions came after researchers found
“biological plausibility between airborne hazards and carcinogenesis of the respiratory tract” and
that “the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection.”
Both McDonough and President Joe Biden have said they will look to go even further with the
burn pit presumptives, but are limited somewhat by VA benefits regulations. “Supporting our
veterans is a critical part of the Unity Agenda I proposed for our nation,” Biden said in a statement.
“No matter where we live or who we voted for in the last election, we all agree that we should
serve our veterans as well as they have served us.
“My administration will continue to do everything in its power to support our nation’s veterans,
and I urge Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to comprehensively address toxic exposures and
further deliver the vital benefits our veterans have earned. I will sign it immediately.”
Congressional leaders are considering sweeping legislation that would grant presumptive disability
status for an even broader list of medical conditions believed linked to burn pits. Department
officials are expected to reach out to veterans who have filed burn pit claims in the past to inform
them of the changes. Individuals can also get more information on the benefits through the VA
web site. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane III | April 25, 2022 ++]