Hundreds of 9/11 responders from the Pentagon and Shanksville can now get health benefits

The US government has finalized rules to expand health benefits for up to 500 new responders from the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, who were at the 9/11 attack sites. This means more people who helped at those sites can now enroll in the World Trade Center Health Program.

The World Trade Center Health Program was created to provide medical care and monitoring for people affected by the 9/11 attacks. For years, eligibility was primarily focused on New York City responders. This rule change acknowledges that responders at the other attack sites also suffered long-term health consequences, and it opens up access to care for a specific, previously underserved group.