Episode 502: VA Presumptives and happy holidays

 Updated September 2021 1 Presumptive Disability Benefits Whatis “Presumptive”Service Connection? VA presumesthat certain disabilities were caused bymilitary service. Thisis because of the unique circumstances of a specific Veteran’s military service. If a presumed condition is diagnosed in a Veteran within a certain group, they can be awarded disability compensation. What are “Presumptive” Conditions? If you are diagnosed with a chronic disease within one year of active duty release, you should apply for disability compensation. Examples of chronic disease include: arthritis, diabetes or hypertension. Or, if you served continuously for atleast 90 days and are diagnosedwith amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS) after discharge, you can establish service connection for the disease. Veteransin the following groups may qualify for “presumptive” disability benefits: • Former prisoners of war who: • Have a condition thatis atleast 10 percent disabling • Depending on length of imprisonment, specific conditions are presumed  Imprisoned for any length of time: • Psychosis • Any of the anxiety states • Dysthymic disorder(or depressive neurosis) • Organic residuals of frostbite • Post- traumatic osteoarthritis • Heart disease or hypertensive vascular disease • Stroke and the residual effects • Osteoporosis, when the Veteran has posttraumatic stress disorder Updated September 2021 2  Imprisoned for at least 30 days: • Beriberi (including beriberi heart disease) • Chronic dysentery • Helminthiasis • Malnutrition (including optic atrophy) • Pellagra • Other nutritional deficiencies • Irritable bowel syndrome • Peptic ulcer disease • Peripheral neuropathy • Cirrhosis of the liver • Avitaminosis • Osteoporosis • Vietnam Veterans who were: • Exposed to AgentOrange • Served in the Republic of Vietnamor on a vessel operating not more than 12 nauticalmiles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia between Jan. 9, 1962 andMay 7, 1975 • Specific presumed conditions are: • AL amyloidosis • B-cell leukemia • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia • Multiple myeloma • Type 2 diabetes • Hodgkin’s disease • Ischemic heart disease (including but notlimited to, coronary artery disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma • Parkinson’s disease • Parkinsonism • Prostate cancer • Respiratory cancers • Soft-tissue sarcoma (not including osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’ssarcoma or mesothelioma) • Bladder cancer • Hypothyroidism Updated September 2021 3  The following conditions, if they become greater than 10 percent debilitating within a year of exposure to an herbicide agent: • Acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy • Chloracne or other similar acneform disease • Porphyria cutanea tarda • Atomic Veterans exposed to ionizing radiationand who experienced one of the following: • Participated in atmospheric nuclear testing • Occupied or were prisoners of warinHiroshima orNagasaki • Served before Feb. 1, 1992, at a diffusion plantin Paducah, Kentucky, Portsmouth, Ohio orOak Ridge, Tennessee • Served before Jan. 1, 1974, at Amchitka Island, Alaska Specific presumed conditions are:  All forms of leukemia, except chronic lymphocytic leukemia  Cancer of the thyroid, breast, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, salivary gland, urinary tract, brain, bone, lung, colon or ovary  Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma  Multiple myeloma  Lymphomas, other than Hodgkin’s disease  Primary liver cancer, except if there are indications of cirrhosis or hepatitis B • Gulf War Veterans who: • Served in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations • Have a condition that is at least 10 percent disabling by Dec. 31, 2026 • Specific presumed conditions are:  Medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses that exist for six months or more, such as: • Chronic fatigue syndrome • Fibromyalgia • Irritable bowel syndrome  Any diagnosed or undiagnosed illness that warran(continued)