Veterans Healthcare: Agent Orange

The VA offers health care and disability benefits for veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides during military service. Your dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits.

If you were exposed to Agent Orange between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, you may be eligible to enroll in VA health care.

What Is Agent Orange And How Were People Exposed To It?

“Agent Orange” refers to a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed in the jungles of Vietnam and around the Korean demilitarized zone to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover. Herbicides were also used by the U.S. military to defoliate military facilities in the U.S. and in other countries as far back as the 1950s.

For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991. These Veterans do not need to show that they were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides in order to get disability compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure.

Agent Orange and other herbicides used in Vietnam were used, tested or stored elsewhere, including some military bases in the United States. Other locations/scenarios in which Veterans were exposed to Agent Orange may include:

  • Personnel who served off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, within 12 nautical miles of the coast of Vietnam and Cambodia, along a line of demarcation spelled out in the lawveterans
  • Korean Demilitarized Zone – Exposure along the demilitarized zone in Korea between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971
  • Thailand Military Bases – Possible exposure on or near the perimeters of military bases between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975
  • Herbicide Tests and Storage Outside Vietnam- Possible exposure due to herbicide tests and storage at military bases in the U.S. and locations in other countries
  • Agent Orange Residue on Airplanes Used in Vietnam War – Possible exposure of crew members to herbicide residue in C-123 planes flown after the Vietnam War
  • Veterans with one or more of the presumptive diseases whose claims were previously denied. It also includes those with new claims.
  • Children with spina bifida born to veterans who served in Thailand between January 1962 and May 1975.
  • Veterans who served in the Korean Demilitarized Zone between Sept. 1, 1967, and Aug. 31, 1971

What Diseases And Conditions Can Agent Orange Exposure Cause?

VA presumes the following diseases to be service-connected for such exposed Veterans:

  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,
  • AL amyloidosis,
  • Chloracne or other acneform disease similar to chloracne,
  • Chronic B-cell leukemias (including, but not limited to, hairy-cell leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia),
  • Diabetes mellitus (Type 2),
  • Hodgkin’s disease,
  • Ischemic heart disease.
  • Parkinson’s disease,
  • Peripheral Neuropathy, Early-Onset
  • Porphyria cutanea tarda,
  • Prostate cancer,
  • Respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, trachea),
  • Soft-tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or mesothelioma)
  • Multiple myeloma

VA offers health care benefits for veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. These services include an Agent Orange Registry health exam and clinical treatment at VA’s War Related Illness and Injury Study Center.

Agent Orange Effects On Children Of Veterans

Children who have spina bifida or certain other birth defects and are biological children of veterans with qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea may be eligible for a range of VA benefits, including:

  • Compensation – a monthly monetary allowance based on the child’s degree of disability
  • Health care benefits
  • Vocational training, which provides up to 24 months of full-time training, rehabilitation and job assistance with the possibility of an extension up to 24 months if needed to achieve the employment goal. The child may not begin vocational training before his or her 18th birthday or the date he or she completes secondary schooling, whichever comes first.

Agent Orange Registry Health Exam

VA’s Agent Orange Registry health exam alerts veterans to possible long-term health problems that may be related to Agent Orange exposure during their military service. The registry data helps VA understand and respond to these health problems more effectively.

The exam is free to eligible Veterans and enrollment in VA health care is not necessary. Although the findings of your exam may be used to inform your subsequent care, they may not be used when applying for compensation as a separate exam is required.

Disability Compensation

Veterans who want to be considered for disability compensation for health problems related to Agent Orange exposure must file a claim. During the claims process, VA will check military records to confirm exposure to Agent Orange or qualifying military service. If necessary, VA will set up a separate exam for compensation.

Veterans Medical Benefits Package

Many veterans are eligible for health care from the VA. Like other health care plans, the Medical Benefits Package emphasizes preventive and primary care, offering a full range of outpatient and inpatient services. The following is a summary of the Veteran’s Medical Benefits Package:

Veteran’s Medical Benefits Package Eligibility

The Medical Benefits Package is generally provided to all enrolled veterans regardless of your priority group.

How Much Does VA Healthcare Cost?

The VA will provide you health care for conditions that are caused or made worse by your military service. If you have severe injuries or disabilities you may be eligible to receive all your medical care for free from the VA, not just that care related to your injuries. You can also receive more care from the VA if you have an income below certain limits.

If you are a 50 percent or greater disabled veteran or a former POW, all your medical care from the VA is free. There are other groups that may get some, or all VA medical care for free, see our VA Copay page for details.

Medical Services Covered By The VA

The following is a general list of health care services that are provided by VA:

  • Consultation, professional counseling, training, and mental health services for the members of the immediate family or legal guardian of the veteran.
  • Outpatient medical, surgical, and mental health care, including care for substance abuse.
  • Inpatient hospital, medical, surgical, and mental health care, including care for substance abuse.
  • Prescription drugs, including over-the-counter drugs and medical and surgical supplies available under the VA national formulary system.
  • Bereavement counseling.
  • Comprehensive rehabilitative services other than vocational services.
  • Durable medical equipment and prosthetic and orthotic devices, including eyeglasses and hearing aids.
  • Home health services.
  • Preventative Care such as:
    • Immunizations
    • Periodic medical exams
    • Health Care Assessments
    • Health education, including nutrition education
    • Screening Tests
  • Respite, hospice, and palliative care.
  • Payment of travel and travel expenses for eligible veterans.
  • Pregnancy and delivery service, to the extent authorized by law.
  • Completion of forms.
  • Emergency care in VA facilities.
  • Emergency care in non-VA facilities in certain conditions: This benefit is a safety net for veterans requiring emergency care for a service connected disability or enrolled veterans who have no other means of paying a private facility emergency bill. If another health insurance provider pays all or part of a bill, VA can’t provide any reimbursement.
  • Reconstructive (plastic) surgery required as a result of a disease or trauma but not including cosmetic surgery that is not medically necessary.

How To Apply For VA Health Care

You can apply on the phone by calling  877-222-VETS (8387), Mon-Fri between 8 am and 8 pm, Eastern Time. You can also apply online by visiting the VETS.GOV website.