Veterans Affairs extends deadline for full backdated PACT Act benefits after website issue
Veterans and survivors applying for benefits under the PACT Act have a few more days to get the full amount of backdated benefits after a technical issue on the website caused some to receive error messages.
The new deadline to be eligible to receive benefits backdated to Aug. 10, 2022 is 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 14, the Department of Veterans Affairs said in a written statement Wednesday evening. It also said the VA has resolved nearly all the technical issues on the website. Fewer than one tenth of one percent of attempts to submit an “intent to file” that day resulted in an error message, according to the agency.
“VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with VA.gov/PACT in recent days,” the statement said.
The notification comes after the VA disclosed that about 18% of people who filed claims for disability compensation under the PACT Act Tuesday received error messages.
The PACT Act, which became law last year, expanded health care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances like burn pits and Agent Orange. The timing of the issue was important as the original deadline for people to be eligible to receive benefits backdated to August 2022 — when the legislation was signed into law — was Aug. 9.
Under U.S. administrative law, the VA may extend such a deadline when natural or man-made interference results in the the Veterans Benefits Administration experiencing extended delays in the receipt of claims.
