Veterans who were exposed to hazardous substances, such as those exposed to Agent Orange during the Viet Nam War, are now eligible to enroll for full and free VA health care coverage without having to demonstrate they were harmed by the exposure. The eligibility expansion kicked into gear yesterday and is a result of a Biden Administration directive that eliminates waiting periods that would have postponed eligibility for certain classes of vets for up to 8 years. Reportedly, this is the largest eligibility expansion for the VA in 30 years and will affect thousands of veterans in our region who are served by the Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona.
