VA Announces Changes in Agent Orange Benefits, State Division of Veterans' Affairs Ready to Assist NY Veterans

ALBANY, NY (10/16/2009)(readMedia)-- On Tuesday, the US Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., released a significant change to Agent Orange Benefits which will affect many New York Veterans.

Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.

The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemia's, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson's disease; and ischemic heart disease.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a "presumed" illness don't have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This "presumption" simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

"Secretary Shinseki's announcement this week to expand yet again the number of presumed illnesses for Veterans who served in Vietnam should be welcome news to many of the nearly 312,000 Vietnam Veterans who reside in New York. The expansion of the presumptive class of benefits associated with Agent Orange is welcome news. I fully expect that the Secretary's actions will provide benefits to a large number of New York's Veterans who were not previously eligible. I encourage any Veteran who served in Vietnam to contact the Division to help determine their eligibility for benefits including these new presumptive categories of illness," said Jim McDonough, Director, New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs.

The New York State Division of Veterans Affairs stands ready to assist New York Veterans with this and all Veterans benefits. Veterans can find a local state Veterans counselor by calling 1-888-838-7697 or online at www.veterans.ny.gov .

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