Are you the spouse or surviving spouse of—or a child of—a Veteran with disabilities or a Veteran who has died? If you don’t qualify for TRICARE (the Department of Defense’s health care program for active-duty and retired service members and their families), you may be able to get health insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). Through this program, we cover the cost of some of your health care services and supplies. This is called cost sharing. Find out if you qualify for CHAMPVA and how to apply.
You may only be eligible for health care through CHAMPVA if you don’t qualify for TRICARE and at least one of these descriptions is true for you.
At least one of these must be true:
A service-connected disability is a disability that we’ve concluded was caused—or made worse—by the Veteran’s active-duty service. A permanent disability is one that’s not expected to improve.
Note: A Veteran who’s the qualifying CHAMPVA sponsor for their family may also qualify for the VA health care program based on their own Veteran status. If 2 spouses are both Veterans who qualify as CHAMPVA sponsors for their family, they both may now qualify for CHAMPVA benefits. Each time they need medical care, they may choose to get care through the VA health care program or using their CHAMPVA coverage.
There are other factors that may affect whether you or other family members qualify for CHAMPVA. Please click on the description that matches your status to learn more:
If you’re expecting a baby, you’ll need to take the 2 steps listed here before you can apply for CHAMPVA for your newborn:
Medical claims can’t be paid until you sign your baby up under CHAMPVA, so please get them a Social Security number and set their status as a dependent as soon as possible.
If you’re the surviving spouse of a qualifying CHAMPVA sponsor and you remarry before age 55, you no longer qualify for CHAMPVA as of midnight on the date of your remarriage.
If you remarry on or after your 55th birthday, you can keep your CHAMPVA benefits.
If you’re the surviving spouse of a qualifying CHAMPVA sponsor and you remarry, but the remarriage ends by death, divorce, or annulment, you may qualify again for CHAMPVA.
The first date that you qualify again is the first day of the month after your remarriage ends or December 1, 1999—whichever date is later. You’ll need to provide us with copies of your marriage certificate and death, divorce, or annulment documents (as appropriate).
If you’re covered under CHAMPVA and you turn 18 years old, you’ll need to send us proof that you’re enrolled in college or another educational institution to keep getting benefits.
If you were covered under CHAMPVA as the stepchild of a Veteran, and you leave the Veteran’s household because of a divorce or remarriage, you no longer qualify for CHAMPVA.
If you’re a family member caring for a Veteran with disabilities, and you’re not entitled to care or services through another health plan, you may qualify for CHAMPVA.
If the Veteran you are caring for sustained or aggravated a serious injury (or illness) in the line of duty in the active military, naval or air service during any service era, you may qualify for health care benefits and other caregiver support through the Program of Comprehensive Assistance to Family Caregivers.
CHAMPVA is always the second payer to Medicare. Here are some requirements you need to know:
If you’re under 65 years old, you’re eligible for CHAMPVA if you meet both of these requirements.
Both of these must be true:
If you’re 65 years old or older, you’re eligible for CHAMPVA if you’re eligible for Medicare. If you turned 65 before June 5, 2001, and you’re entitled to either Medicare Part A or B, you’ll also need to enroll in Medicare Part B to be eligible for CHAMPVA.
Note: You don’t need to enroll in Medicare Part D to qualify for CHAMPVA.