VA PAYS OUT $2.2B IN NEW AGENT ORANGE CLAIMS

In the year since three diseases were added to the list of health conditions presumed to be linked to the toxic defoliant Agent Orange, the Veterans Affairs Department has paid $2.2 billion in benefits to 89,000 Vietnam veterans or survivors who filed claims related to the conditions.
VA said Wednesday it has reviewed and is still examining thousands of claims related to the conditions — ischemic heart disease, hairy cell leukemia and Parkinson’s disease. VA officials estimate that more than 200,000 former service members could be eligible for benefits according to the current guidelines, which were amended on Aug. 31, 2010, to include the three diseases.  CONTINUE