This is Rank and Pay's PACT Act 2026 tracker — the year-scoped page that captures what changed this year, current appeals routes, burn-pit registry enrollment, and running additions to the Agent Orange presumptive-condition list. For the evergreen "what is the PACT Act" explainer, see PACT Act explained. For the full presumptive-condition list, see PACT Act presumptive conditions. This tracker is for what's happening in 2026 that you need to act on.
What the PACT Act does (in one paragraph)
The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-168), commonly called the PACT Act, expanded VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, radiation, and other toxic substances during service. It made dozens of new conditions presumptive — meaning the VA presumes service-connection and doesn't require the veteran to prove causation.
Spokes in this tracker
- PACT Act eligibility 2026 — current service periods and locations, what expanded this year.
- PACT Act appeals process — how to appeal a presumptive-condition denial, and how it differs from a standard VA claim.
- Burn Pit Registry enrollment — how to enroll in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, and how it interacts with a PACT claim.
- Agent Orange 2026 additions — a running list of new presumptive conditions and expanded exposure locations.
PACT Act 2026 status — the short version
- Full eligibility phase-in completed in October 2024; every veteran covered by PACT can now file. If you're a covered veteran and haven't filed, you should — the sooner the better, since retroactive back pay is possible in many cases.
- Registry enrollment remains voluntary. Enrolling does not, by itself, file a claim; it documents exposure and unlocks a free VA health exam.
- Denials from PACT-related claims should still be low — the presumptive framework works — but denials do happen when exposure documentation is incomplete or when a claimed condition is not on the presumptive list.
How this tracker differs from our evergreen PACT explainer
The evergreen PACT Act explained page covers the statute in general, timeless terms. This tracker is a "living" 2026 page — updated as the presumptive list expands, as VA policy changes, and as procedural details evolve. If you're new to PACT, start with the explainer; if you're ready to act on a claim in 2026, start with the spokes above.
Related
PACT Act explained (evergreen) · PACT Act presumptive conditions list · VA appeals process (generic) · VA Claims hub