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New Presumptive Service-Connected Condition Named
By USVCP Staff
December 18, 2020
On Wednesday, December 16, 2020, Congress approved legislation that active duty service members who contract COVID-19 while on duty and suffer a disability or death will be eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.
A provision in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 designates COVID-19 as a presumptive illness. A descriptor that paves the way for affected service members and veterans who suffer long-term consequences of the virus to receive compensation and benefits.
To be eligible for disability, the service members must have served on active duty for more than 48 hours at one time and developed the illness during service or within 14 days after the qualifying period of duty.
The department has the ability to decide whether a veteran qualifies should they develop COVID-19 after the 14-day time frame.
The benefit would apply to active duty service members and Reservists, as well as National Guard members on training duty under Title 10; activated Guard members serving on or after March 13, 2020; or those working full time during the national emergency as declared by the President of the United States.
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