Biden expands veterans’ health care coverage

The White House on Friday announced the expansion of health care coverage for the nation’s veterans, creating a no-cost system for World War II veterans seeking care and accelerating enrollment for all veterans applying for benefits after exposure to toxins.

Starting this month, all living World War II veterans can access health care services from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at no cost, including nursing home care, the White House said in a press release.

The VA will also accelerate eligibility under the PACT Act, a major law that passed last year and expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxins and chemicals. Veterans who have yet to enroll will be able to do so next year.

Biden also announced a new campaign and task force called Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE), aimed at protecting veterans and their families from scams, which the administration said cost the military and veterans more than $414 million last year.

VSAFE will involve a cross-government effort to better educate veterans on the issue and provide more resources to protect them against the scams.

The announcement comes as Veterans Day is observed across the U.S., one day ahead of its official day of observance Saturday.

The Biden administration said it has worked to tackle several issues for veterans, including health care access, suicide prevention and homelessness.

This year, the VA has awarded $163 billion in earned benefits to more than 6 million veterans and processed 1.98 million disability claims, the White House said.

“President Biden believes we have a sacred obligation to care for our nation’s veterans and their families,” the White House said in a statement. “Simply put, we owe them a debt we can never fully repay.”