TL;DR — Quick Summary
- Who qualifies: Biological children of veterans exposed to Agent Orange, born AFTER exposure
- Male vs. female veteran: Children of female veterans have 37 covered conditions; children of male veterans only have Spina Bifida covered
- Benefits available: VA health care, monthly compensation, and job training
- Discharge doesn't matter: Child is eligible regardless of parent's discharge status
- No double benefits: If eligible through both parents, only one benefit amount applies
Available Benefits
Congress has recognized that some children born to veterans exposed to Agent Orange were at an increased risk of developing certain birth defects. As such, those dependents born AFTER their parent's possible exposure are entitled to:
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility
To qualify for benefits, the following must be true:
- The child's mother or father must meet one of the Agent Orange presumptive eligibility requirements; AND
- The biological child must have been born AFTER the veteran's exposure
Important Notes
- The child is still entitled to compensation regardless of the parent's character of discharge
- If the child is eligible under both parents, the child will NOT get double the benefits
Covered Conditions
Covered Birth Defects & Diseases
Critical Distinction
If the child is only eligible via their father's exposure, then the ONLY COVERED CONDITION IS SPINA BIFIDA.
The full list below applies only to children of female veterans.
Full List of Covered Conditions (Female Veteran Parent)
- Achondroplasia
- Albinism
- Alpha-antitrypsin deficiency
- Cleft lip and cleft palate
- Congenital heart disease
- Congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)
- Crouzon syndrome
- Cystic fibrosis
- Duchenne's muscular dystrophy
- Esophageal and intestinal atresia
- Galactosemia
- Hallerman-Streiff syndrome
- Hemophilia
- Hip dysplasia
- Hirschprung's disease (congenital megacolon)
- Huntington's disease
- Hurler syndrome
- Hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis
- Hypospadias
- Imperforate anus
- Kartagener's syndrome (Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia)
- Marfan syndrome
- Neural tube defects (including spina bifida, encephalocele, and anencephaly)
- Neurofibromatosis
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Pectus excavatum
- Phenylketonuria
- Poland syndrome
- Pyloric stenosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Syndactyly (fused digits)
- Tay-Sachs disease
- Thalassemia
- Tracheoesophageal fistula
- Undescended testicle
- Williams syndrome
- Wilson's disease
Conditions NOT Covered
- Conditions due to family disorders (established family history)
- Birth-related injuries
- Fetal or neonatal infirmities with well-established causes
- Chromosomal disorders