Champva Eligibility

[hedgey]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for making the SVR shows available in the archives! I had no idea there was so much information available there!

I was just listening to the one on CHAMPVA and I was surprised to hear that the Veteran does NOT have to be 100% P&T, they only have to be P&T for a SC rated disability, no matter how low the rating is.

This got me thinking.... my husband is SC at 80% for injury to his shoulder and extensive scarring from an in-service MVA. I dug out the sheet that lists his disability codes & percentages and while I don't see the words permanent & total, I do see that he has No Future Exams Scheduled, and each of his disabilities is notated as Static.

Is no future exams and Static the same as P & T??

Could there be a chance that I could possibly, remotely, in any version of the multiverse, be eligible for CHAMPVA?

My heart is pounding!

[Berta]

Hedgey that info from SVR show is not correct:

"To be eligible for CHAMPVA, you cannot be eligible for TRICARE/CHAMPUS and you must be in one of these categories:

1.the spouse or child of a veteran who has been rated permanently and totally disabled for a service-connected disability by a VA regional office, or

2.the surviving spouse or child of a veteran who died from a VA-rated service connected disability, or

3.the surviving spouse or child of a veteran who was at the time death rated permanently and totally disabled from a service connected disability, or

4.the surviving spouse or child of a military member who died in the line of duty, not due to misconduct (in most of these cases, these family members are eligible for TRICARE, not CHAMPVA).

http://www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/champva/champva.asp

Can you tell me what date of SVR broadcast this was? I can call Jerrel Cook ,the producer ,to have it corrected.

[Berta]

Just to add here too- (I was just reading a BVA case regarding CHAMPVA and 1151 widow)

Section 1151,38 USC 100% P & T award to a veteran or a Section 1151 DIC award to a spouse does NOT bestow CHAMPVA eligibility on them.

Only above criteria does.

Also if the VA awards DEA Chap 35 education benefits,in the award letter, this means the vet is 100%P & T and also their dependents are eligible for CHAMPVA.

Usually the CHAMPVA info comes separately. All I got from VA was a brief letter a few weeks after my DEA award that said I 'might' be eligible for CHAMPVA.

I had to apply for that separately.

Their on line web site has a lot of info.

Edited April 12, 2011 by Berta

[Sidney56]

Berta I think this is the SVR she is talking about. I was

listening to it last night myself.

http://www.svr-radio.com/images/2-23-2011_Glen_Johnson_ChampVA.mp3

[Berta]

Thanks- will refer Jerrel t this

[hedgey]

Nope, Berta, it was really my mistake! I heard the less than 100% and didn't make the connection to TDIU. I called the CHAMPVA representative and he explained it to me.

It applies to vets with say 80% scheduler, but 100% P&T through TDIU. (Like me, so my husband does get CHAMPVA)

So I think I got so excited I didn't listen carefully enough.

The cool thing, and I don't remember this being in the broadcast, is that the CHAMPVA rep told me to gather up all of my husband's medical copay receipts going back to my TDIU Award date and send them in, and CHAMPVA will reimburse us.

Even cooler? My daughter turned 23 a few months ago, so for most of the retro period, she would have been eligible for CHAMPVA, even though I received my Award Letter after her birthday. So first I'm sending them the application to establish her as a beneficiary (she was a full-time student). Once that's done, I'll send in all the receipts for her co-pays. (they also need copies of our health insurance corresponding EOB's).

It'll be a lot of digging for paperwork, but if it works the way it should, it'll be about a $1200 reimbursement from CHAMPVA.

I'm still disappointed that I can't get it for myself, but this is definitely a great program for my hubby.

Again, thanks for the SVR programs!!! And thanks, Berta, for clarifying everything for me. You're the best!

[Berta]

WHEW!!!!

I know SVR does not want to give out anything that isnt accurate.

YES they will surely reimburse the medical expenses via CHAMPVA back to the entitlement date.

I have never had a single problem with CHAMPVA.

I just picked up my monthly meds.They are not generic and cost me only 6 bucks because of CHAMPVA insurance.

The CHAMPVA Guy ( Glenn) told me to consider meds by mail through CHAMPVA as I think they would involve no co pay at all that way.But it might be the generic version.

I might look into that.

When one turns 65 they must have Medicare Part A and B to retain their CHAMPVA benefit.

They send me statements from time to time showing how my Medicare paid this or that and what they picked up and paid under CHAMPVA.

I sure wish VETS could get this program too!

You are the men and women who earned the benefit for your dependents and it is far better than the VA health care system is because we have a choice - to use a local VAMC if they provide dependents health care-up to age 65- and/or get the doctors and hosps of our choice.