CHAMPVA stands for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is a comprehensive health care program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shares the cost of certain health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. CHAMPVA is managed by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Integrated Veteran Care (VHA IVC) in Denver, Colorado. The program is available to certain dependents and survivors of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, veterans who died from service-connected disabilities, veterans who were totally disabled due to a service-connected condition at the time of death, and certain other eligible individuals.

Some key points about CHAMPVA include:

• CHAMPVA is a Department of Veterans Affairs program, while TRICARE is a regionally managed health care program for active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families, and survivors.
• CHAMPVA is always the secondary payer to Medicare.
• CHAMPVA beneficiaries are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in the community and at their local VA medical facility.
• There are no premiums for CHAMPVA, but there are deductibles and co-pays associated with using this coverage.
• Participating providers agree to accept 75% of the billed amount and this is called the covered amount.

If you are eligible for CHAMPVA and also have Medicare Part A entitlement (premium-free hospitalization coverage) and Medicare Part B (outpatient coverage), CHAMPVA will cover many of the costs not covered by Medicare. CHAMPVA does not pay Medicare Part B premiums.