Jake Judd/KNSI News (KNSI) — Amid concerns about blast exposure, the Department of Veterans Affairs is launching a new campaign to encourage eligible veterans to enroll in VA health care.
It comes after reports of health concerns, including mental health issues and thoughts of suicide, potentially linked to head trauma and repeated blast exposure from low level artillery blasts, improvised explosive devices, missile launches, and heavy fire. Since the first reports surfaced, VA researchers have been studying blast exposure’s negative health impacts.
Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other specific locations are eligible for VA health care based on their deployments and do not need to have any health conditions specifically associated with their service in order to be eligible for care.
“We take veteran concerns about repeated blast exposure very seriously, and we are studying this matter urgently to learn more about potential health impacts,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “While we do that, we don’t want veterans to wait – they should enroll in VA health care today to get full access to primary care, mental health care, regular screenings, specialty care, and more. That’s what this outreach effort is all about: getting veterans in our care, because veterans who come to VA are proven to do better.”
This is the largest outreach campaign since the passage of the PACT Act in 2022.
Eligible veterans can enroll by clicking here or by calling 1-877-222-8387.
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VA Launches Campaign Urging Veterans to Enroll in Health Care Amid Blast Exposure Concerns
