Prior to the PACT Act veterans were given 10 years after separation of their service to enroll into the VA health care system. A special enrollment period was granted through the signing of last year’s Honoring Our PACT Act, which allows veterans who are outside of that 10-year window to enroll for health care through a special window of eligibility. Veterans will still be eligible to enroll through traditional routes, but the special enrollment window for expanded eligibility will close soon.
To be eligible for the special enrollment window, a veteran must have served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, according to the VA. Those who also served in combat against a hostile force after Nov. 11, 1998, are eligible to apply.
To apply for VA health care, visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/apply/application/introduction. VFW also offers free-of-charge help from service officers. Visit https://www.vfw.org/service-officers to find a nearby service officer.