U.S. military veterans have an estimated 25 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer than people who haven’t served in the armed forces. This risk is particularly high for older veterans. Increased rates of lung cancer among military vets are largely due to exposure to carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). These include exposure to Agent Orange, burn pits, and radiation during military service. Additionally, rates of smoking — a known cause of lung cancer — are 50 percent higher among veterans than the general population. Many vets report that they started smoking in the military.

Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides numerous resources for veterans with lung cancer who left the military with an honorable discharge. Benefits are based on the VA disability rating system and include a range of services, as well as tax-free monthly payments that can help you reduce medical bills.

What Is a VA Disability Rating?

The VA provides a disability rating for a service-connected disability — health problems connected with active service that limit a veteran’s ability to work. A higher rating entitles you to more benefits from the VA. A diagnosis of a respiratory cancer such as lung cancer has a 100 percent disability rating — or total disability — which lasts until six months after treatment.

Six months after you complete treatment for lung cancer, you are usually required to take the VA’s Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to help the VA make a disability rating decision for your case. The C&P exam assesses whether you are cancer-free, if you still have a lung cancer diagnosis, or if you have ongoing health issues related to your cancer. This determines if you qualify for ongoing VA disability assistance. Other health conditions may also help you qualify for VA disability benefits with an increased rating.

Some lingering cancer-related conditions (also known as residuals) that may qualify you for continuing VA disability include:

• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Incontinence
• Limited range of motion or impairment of movement
• Anxiety

Lung Cancer and the PACT Act

In 2022, disability benefits for veterans were expanded under the Honoring Our Promise To Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The PACT Act is a law that significantly broadened the definition of toxic exposure for active-duty and nonactive military personnel who are a risk factor for developing diseases such as lung cancer. This has made it easier for veterans with lung cancer to prove that their condition is related to their military service.

Disability Assistance Provided by the Veterans Administration

The VA offers disability assistance to vets with lung cancer, in addition to standard health insurance and health care that many vets are eligible for, regardless of any health issues.

Disability benefits that veterans with lung cancer may access, depending on eligibility, include:

• Disability compensation – Tax-free monthly payments based on your disability rating
• Geriatric care – Particular health services for older veterans
• Health screenings – Early screenings for cancer and other health conditions
• Home health care and telehealth – Health aides, assisted living, hospice care, and online doctor visits
• Palliative care – Supportive care, such as pain relief and emotional support
• Transportation and lodging – For treatment that requires travel
• Dependency and indemnity compensation – Tax-free financial support for surviving family members after a veteran dies

Although levels of assistance may vary, depending on your particular condition, these disability benefits from the VA can potentially help you manage better and improve your quality of life.

One MyLungCancerTeam member described some of the assistance they’ve received from the VA. ”Info for all my fellow veterans. The VA will send you Ensure, a shower chair, one of those walkers with wheels and a chair, and physical therapy to help keep us strong,” they wrote. “I am now going to apply for a small treadmill to help keep me strong. I hope this info helps someone.”

Another member said, “Until I started getting my VA disability pay, I lived month-to-month.”

Applying for VA Disability Assistance

Before you make your VA disability claim to determine your disability rating, you will need to collect some important paperwork that shows your lung cancer is connected to your military service. You’ll need documents such as:

• Certificate of release from active duty (form DD214)
• Military health records
• Medical evidence of lung cancer
• Separation Health Assessment (Part A Self-Assessment form), if filing under the Benefits Delivery at Discharge Program, which allows active-duty service members to apply for VA disability 90 to 180 days before being discharged from the military

The VA should be able to find these records for you, if you don’t have them. In some cases, the VA may contact you for additional information or require that you undergo one or more medical examinations in order to validate your claim.

Additional Evidence

It may be helpful to collect some additional information to support your claim. This isn’t necessary for veterans’ claims related to exposure to Agent Orange, an herbicide (poison used on plants) used during the Vietnam War.

One MyLungCancerTeam member shared, “I’m a Vietnam vet who was exposed to Agent Orange. Coronary artery disease 11/2001 and lung cancer 11/2022. 100 percent disabled.”

Someone else wrote, “My hubby was in the Air Force during Vietnam. He’s receiving VA benefits. He was feeling good until one night he coughed up some blood. He has never smoked but has been exposed to secondhand smoke in the military and at work in civilian life.”

Additional evidence that can show that your need for disability include:

• VA hospital records and medical records
• Private hospital records and medical records
• Statements of support — These may be from family, friends, people you were in the military with, clergy, or others who have seen how lung cancer has affected you.

Although you don’t need to provide this type of evidence, it may help speed up your claim. The VA takes an average of 155.5 days for a case evaluation and decision on providing disability assistance. However, claims that have additional evidence can be reviewed under the VA’s Fully Developed Claims program and can get a quicker decision.

Types of VA Disability Claims

You can file different types of claims if your circumstances change after you receive VA disability compensation from your original claim. Some of the other types of claims include:

• Increased claim — If your disability has worsened and you want higher monthly payments
• Secondary service-connected claim — If you develop a new disability that is related to your military service
• Special claim — If you have special needs such as a specially adapted car or equipment to adapt an existing car to aid in driving
• Supplemental claim — If you want to submit new evidence for a claim that was previously denied

How To File a Disability Claim

There are several ways to apply for VA disability benefits for lung cancer. You can submit your application in the following ways:

• Online
• By mail — You’ll need to download the VA form 21-526EZ, fill it out, and mail it to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, P.O. Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444
• In person at a regional VA office
• By fax — Fax your application to 844-531-7818 within the U.S. or 248-524-4260 outside the U.S.

Getting Help With a VA Disability Claim

The process of applying for VA disability benefits can seem complicated. Many veterans choose to work with an VA-accredited representative. Accredited representatives have expertise in helping with the disability claims process and can help with applications and requesting decision reviews for claims that are rejected by a VA examiner.

If you want help with your VA disability application, there are three types of accredited representatives:

• Accredited claims agents are trained specifically in preparing VA benefits claims and decision reviews. They are likely to charge fees for their services.
• Accredited attorneys are not trained specifically in VA disability claims, but they are legal experts who are generally hired for a fee to work on decision reviews.
• Accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representatives provide free services for veterans and family members in preparing disability applications and working on decision reviews.

You can search for a VA-accredited representative via the VA website or ask for assistance by calling 800-698-2411, extension 0.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyLungCancerTeam is the social network for people with lung cancer and their loved ones. On MyLungCancerTeam, more than 13,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lung cancer.

Have you made a claim for VA disability compensation for lung cancer? What services have you accessed through your disability benefits? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.