Does hypertension really count now?

Yes — added by the PACT Act in 2022. If you have a current hypertension diagnosis and qualifying service, it's worth filing or re-filing even after a prior denial.

Should I re-file if I was denied for hypertension before 2022?

Yes, strongly worth it. Many pre-2022 denials for hypertension are being approved now that it's presumptive, since the direct-causation burden that caused the original denial no longer applies.

Is there a deadline to file an Agent Orange presumptive claim?

No fixed deadline exists — you can file whenever you develop a qualifying diagnosis, regardless of how long ago your qualifying service occurred.

Toxic Exposure & PACT Act

2025-05-27· 4 min read

Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions: 2026 List

The full, current list of presumptive conditions for Agent Orange exposure, including the PACT Act additions like hypertension, plus every qualifying service location and period.

By VA Benefits Help Guide Editorial Team · Updated 2026-06-01

Quick answer

Agent Orange presumptive conditions include type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, chronic B-cell leukemias, hypertension (added under the PACT Act), and several other cancers and conditions.

Agent Orange presumptive coverage has expanded substantially since it was first established in 1991. The PACT Act added hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) in 2022, bringing the list to its largest scope to date — and it's worth checking against even if you were previously told you didn't qualify.

Presumptive Conditions

AL Amyloidosis
Bladder cancer
Chronic B-cell leukemias
Chloracne
Diabetes mellitus type 2
Hodgkin's disease
Hypertension (PACT Act addition)
Hypothyroidism
Ischemic heart disease
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) — PACT Act addition
Multiple myeloma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease
Peripheral neuropathy (early-onset)
Porphyria cutanea tarda
Prostate cancer
Respiratory cancers (lung, larynx, trachea, bronchus)
Soft tissue sarcomas

Denied before 2022 for a condition that's now presumptive?

Re-File an Old Denial

Where Service Counts

Vietnam, January 9, 1962 through May 7, 1975 — including inland waterways and territorial seas under the Blue Water Navy expansion
Korean DMZ, September 1, 1967 through August 31, 1971
Certain Thailand military bases during the Vietnam era
C-123 aircraft crew service, 1969 through 1986, exposed through post-war aircraft contamination

Why the Hypertension Addition Is a Bigger Deal Than It Sounds

Hypertension is extraordinarily common and has many possible causes, which made it nearly impossible to service-connect through direct causation before it became presumptive — a rater could always point to another plausible cause. Now, qualifying service plus a current hypertension diagnosis is enough on its own, which has opened the door for a large number of Vietnam-era veterans previously denied for exactly this reason.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

The Agent Orange presumptive list keeps growing — if you served in any covered location and have any condition on this list, the path to service connection is short, and it's worth re-filing even an old denial.