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• Friday, March 24, 2017

  VA Covers 8 Diseases Connected with Camp Lejeune Service

  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is now covering eight diseases as presumptive service-connected for those who served at Camp Lejeune, NC between 1953 and 1987, reports R. Michael Suter, the American Legion Department of New York’s rehab field coordinator.

  The Camp Lejeune Historic Drinking Water Program announced the new VA rule, noting that the presumptive service connection provides VA disability benefits for veterans who have one of eight diseases and have served for 30 days or longer (consecutive or nonconsecutive) on permanent or temporary duty at Camp Lejeune, NC between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987. The eight diseases covered under the new rule are: adult leukemia; aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes; bladder cancer; kidney cancer; liver cancer; multiple myeloma; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; and Parkinson’s disease.

  The rule became effective 14 March 2017 following Congressional review. In accordance, the Marine Corps will mail registrants pertinent information and updates about the VA’s new rule.

  To contact the Department of Veterans Affairs to learn more about health care benefits, please visit http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/camp-lejeune/, or call (877) 222-8387 (Healthcare), or (800) 827-1000 (Benefits).