If I was denied before, should I re-file?

Yes — especially for hypertension and MGUS, which are newer presumptives under the PACT Act that weren't recognized at the time of many earlier denials.

Does Blue Water Navy service automatically qualify?

Service within 12 nautical miles of the Vietnam coast generally qualifies under the PACT Act's Blue Water Navy expansion, though the exact vessel and deployment records matter for confirming eligibility.

Is there a deadline to claim a presumptive condition?

No fixed deadline exists for filing a presumptive claim — you can file at any point after developing a qualifying diagnosis, regardless of how long ago your qualifying service occurred.

Toxic Exposure & PACT Act

2025-02-24· 4 min read

Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions List

The full, current Agent Orange presumptive condition list, every qualifying service location, and exactly what to do if you were denied before these expansions took effect.

By VA Benefits Help Guide Editorial Team · Updated 2026-05-25

Quick answer

Agent Orange presumptive conditions include multiple cancers (prostate, respiratory, bladder, soft tissue sarcoma), ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, hypertension, and several others. Vietnam-era veterans, Blue Water Navy veterans, and certain Thailand and Korean DMZ veterans all qualify under different service windows.

The Agent Orange presumptive list has grown substantially over the decades since Vietnam, most recently under the PACT Act, which added hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) — two conditions that had previously sunk countless direct-connection claims for lack of a clear medical link.

Presumptive Conditions

Type 2 diabetes
Ischemic heart disease
Hypertension (added under the PACT Act)
Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonism
Prostate, respiratory, and bladder cancers
Soft tissue sarcoma, multiple myeloma, AL amyloidosis
Chronic B-cell leukemias, non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Peripheral neuropathy (early-onset)
Hypothyroidism
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS, added under the PACT Act)

Qualifying Service

Vietnam — boots on ground or inland waterways, 1962 to 1975
Blue Water Navy service within 12 nautical miles of the Vietnam coast (PACT Act expansion)
Korean DMZ service, 1967 to 1971
Certain Thailand military bases during the Vietnam era
C-123 aircraft crew members exposed through post-war aircraft contamination

Want to check your full service history against every presumptive category, not just Agent Orange?

See Every Presumptive Category

Why Re-Filing an Old Denial Matters So Much Here

Hypertension in particular was denied constantly before it became presumptive — it's an extremely common condition with many possible causes, which made direct service connection nearly impossible to prove without the presumptive framework. Veterans denied for hypertension or MGUS before these additions took effect have a genuinely strong case for re-filing now that the presumption applies automatically to qualifying service.

How to File or Re-File

File or re-file using VA Form 21-526EZ, citing the specific presumptive condition and your qualifying service location and dates. For a re-filed prior denial, a Supplemental Claim citing the new presumptive status as new and relevant law is generally the right path rather than starting an entirely new claim from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

If you served in a covered Agent Orange location, this presumptive list is broad and still growing — and if you were denied a now-presumptive condition years ago, re-filing is genuinely worth the effort. Educational only. Not legal advice.