
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a health benefits program that shares the cost of specific healthcare services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing program that covers the cost of most healthcare services and supplies deemed medically necessary for beneficiaries. It is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC) in Denver, Colorado. CHAMPVA is for those who do not qualify for TRICARE, which is the Department of Defense's health care program for active-duty and retired military personnel and their families.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Insurance | Health Insurance |
| Administering Agency | Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC) |
| Administering Agency Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Eligibility | Spouse, dependent, or survivor of a veteran who meets certain service-connected disability requirements |
| Cost | Outpatient deductible of $50 per calendar year and a cost share of 25% of the allowable amount up to a catastrophic cap of $3,000 per calendar year |
| Network of Medical Providers | CHAMPVA does not have a network of approved medical providers, but most TRICARE and Medicare providers accept CHAMPVA patients |
| Coordination with Other Insurance | CHAMPVA is the secondary payer after Medicare and any other insurance |
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What You'll Learn
- CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing program
- It is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC)
- CHAMPVA has an outpatient deductible of $50 per calendar year
- It is a health benefits program for the spouse, dependent, or survivor of a veteran
- CHAMPVA beneficiaries with Medicare cannot receive Medicare-covered care at a VA Medical Center

CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing program
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a health benefits program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shares the cost of certain healthcare services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. It is a cost-sharing program, meaning that the VA and the beneficiary split the cost of healthcare services and supplies. This program is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC) in Denver, Colorado.
CHAMPVA is designed to help cover the cost of healthcare for the spouse, surviving spouse, and children of disabled or deceased disabled veterans who meet certain service-connected disability requirements. To be eligible for CHAMPVA, one must be the spouse, dependent child, or surviving spouse or dependent child of a veteran who has been rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability or who died from a service-connected disability. Additionally, those eligible for CHAMPVA must not qualify for TRICARE, the Department of Defense's healthcare program for active-duty and retired military personnel and their families.
As a cost-sharing program, CHAMPVA has an outpatient deductible of $50 per beneficiary per calendar year, or a maximum of $100 per family per calendar year. There is also a patient cost share of 25% of the allowable amount up to a catastrophic cap of $3,000 per calendar year. This means that beneficiaries are responsible for paying a portion of their healthcare costs out-of-pocket until they reach the cap. If a beneficiary has other health insurance (OHI), it should be billed first, and then the VA Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the OHI should be submitted with the claim for reimbursement to CHAMPVA. By law, CHAMPVA acts as the secondary payer, except in cases of Medicaid, State Victims of Crime Compensation Programs, Indian Health Services, and Supplemental CHAMPVA Policies.
CHAMPVA covers the cost of most healthcare services and supplies that are medically necessary for beneficiaries. However, it is important to note that CHAMPVA does not have a network of approved medical providers. Beneficiaries have the freedom to choose their healthcare providers, but it is recommended that they verify if their chosen provider accepts CHAMPVA insurance. If a provider accepts CHAMPVA, they will bill CHAMPVA directly, and the beneficiary will only be responsible for their portion of the cost-sharing agreement.
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It is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC)
CHAMPVA is a comprehensive health care program that covers the cost of most healthcare services and supplies deemed medically necessary for beneficiaries. It is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC) in Denver, Colorado.
CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing program, where the VA shares the cost of covered health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. It is available to the spouse, surviving spouse, dependent child, or survivor of a Veteran who meets certain service-connected disability requirements. Those eligible for CHAMPVA must not qualify for TRICARE, which is for active-duty and retired military personnel and their families.
CHAMPVA has an outpatient deductible of $50 per beneficiary per calendar year, or a maximum of $100 per family per calendar year. It also has a patient cost share of 25% of the allowable amount up to a catastrophic cap of $3,000 per calendar year. Beneficiaries do not need to send checks to the VHA OCC for their annual deductible; instead, charges are automatically credited to individual and family deductible requirements for each calendar year.
CHAMPVA does not have a network of approved medical providers. However, most TRICARE and Medicare providers will also accept CHAMPVA patients. Beneficiaries can use the TRICARE "Find a Doctor" feature to locate a provider in their area and ask if they accept CHAMPVA insurance. If a provider accepts CHAMPVA, they will bill CHAMPVA directly.
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CHAMPVA has an outpatient deductible of $50 per calendar year
CHAMPVA, or the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a health benefits program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shares the cost of certain healthcare services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries.
CHAMPVA currently has an outpatient deductible of $50 per beneficiary per calendar year or a maximum of $100 per family per calendar year. This means that for each calendar year, the beneficiary must pay the first $50 of outpatient services out-of-pocket before CHAMPVA begins to cover the cost of care. This deductible is separate from any other insurance the beneficiary may have, as CHAMPVA is always the secondary payer by law.
The outpatient deductible is a small part of the overall cost-sharing structure of CHAMPVA. After meeting the deductible, beneficiaries are typically responsible for a cost share of 25% of the CHAMPVA allowable charge up to a catastrophic cap of $3,000 per calendar year. The allowable amount refers to the maximum CHAMPVA will pay for specific services and supplies, which is usually equivalent to current Medicare and TRICARE rates.
It is important to note that CHAMPVA does not have a network of approved medical providers. However, most TRICARE and Medicare providers will also accept CHAMPVA patients. Beneficiaries should confirm that their chosen provider accepts CHAMPVA insurance before receiving treatment.
Additionally, beneficiaries with other health insurance (OHI) must bill their OHI first before submitting a claim to CHAMPVA for reimbursement. This ensures that CHAMPVA remains the secondary payer, as required by law.
The CHAMPVA Supplemental Insurance Plan is also available to provide additional protection against out-of-pocket costs, doctor bills, hospital expenses, pharmacy costs, and catastrophic expenses. This plan has its own deductible of $250 per person and $500 per family maximum, which is separate from the CHAMPVA outpatient deductible.
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It is a health benefits program for the spouse, dependent, or survivor of a veteran
CHAMPVA stands for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is a health benefits program for the spouse, dependent, or survivor of a veteran. It is also available to the children of disabled or deceased disabled veterans.
CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing program, where the Department of Veterans Affairs shares the cost of certain health care services and supplies with the beneficiary. This includes medically necessary hospital inpatient care, skilled nursing facility care, home health care, and hospice care. There is an outpatient deductible of $50 per beneficiary per calendar year or a maximum of $100 per family per calendar year, and a patient cost share of 25% of the allowable amount up to the catastrophic cap of $3,000 per calendar year.
CHAMPVA is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Community Care (VHA OCC) in Denver, Colorado. To qualify, the veteran must meet certain service-connected disability requirements. Those eligible for CHAMPVA may not qualify for TRICARE, the Defense Department's health care program for active-duty and retired military personnel and their families.
If the beneficiary has other health insurance, this will be billed first, and CHAMPVA will cover the remaining costs. CHAMPVA is always the secondary payer, except to Medicaid, State Victims of Crime Compensation Programs, Indian Health Services, and Supplemental CHAMPVA Policies.
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CHAMPVA beneficiaries with Medicare cannot receive Medicare-covered care at a VA Medical Center
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a comprehensive health care program for the spouse or widow(er) and children of a veteran. It is also available to the primary family caregiver of a veteran with disabilities. CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing program, where the Department of Veterans Affairs shares the cost of certain health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries.
CHAMPVA is considered secondary insurance for beneficiaries with Medicare. This means that Medicare pays for the beneficiary's care first, and then CHAMPVA may cover costs that are still owed after Medicare pays. As a result, CHAMPVA beneficiaries with Medicare cannot receive Medicare-covered care at a VA Medical Center, as the VA Medical Center would bill CHAMPVA first, which is not allowed in this case.
CHAMPVA beneficiaries must have Medicare Part A and Part B to get or keep their CHAMPVA benefits. A Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) also meets this requirement. However, beneficiaries with Medicare must use their Medicare coverage first before CHAMPVA coverage can be applied. This is why CHAMPVA cannot be the primary payer for beneficiaries with Medicare coverage.
CHAMPVA does not have a network of medical providers. However, most Medicare providers will also accept CHAMPVA patients. Beneficiaries can locate Medicare providers through the Medicare website and ask if they also accept CHAMPVA insurance. If a provider accepts CHAMPVA, they will bill CHAMPVA directly.
In conclusion, while CHAMPVA offers valuable health care benefits to eligible beneficiaries, those with Medicare coverage must utilize their Medicare benefits first. As such, CHAMPVA beneficiaries with Medicare cannot receive Medicare-covered care at a VA Medical Center, as the VA Medical Center would bill CHAMPVA first, which is not permitted in this scenario.
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Frequently asked questions
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a health benefits program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shares the cost of certain healthcare services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries.
If you’re the spouse, dependent, or survivor of a Veteran who meets certain service-connected disability requirements, you may qualify for CHAMPVA. You may also be eligible if you’re the spouse or dependent child of a Veteran who’s been rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, or if you’re the surviving spouse or dependent child of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability.
If you have other health insurance (OHI), the OHI should be billed first, and then the VA Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the OHI should be submitted with the claim for reimbursement to CHAMPVA. By law, CHAMPVA is always the secondary payer except to Medicaid, State Victims of Crime Compensation Programs, Indian Health Services, and Supplemental CHAMPVA Policies. If you have both Medicare and CHAMPVA, Medicare will pay first, and CHAMPVA will cover any remaining costs.
CHAMPVA covers the cost of most healthcare services and supplies that are medically necessary for beneficiaries. CHAMPVA has an outpatient deductible of $50 per calendar year and a beneficiary cost share of 25% of the allowable amount up to a catastrophic cap of $3,000 per calendar year.

















