CHAMPVA Required?

[Signal6]

Recently received 100% P&T, so wife and daughter are eligible for CHAMPVA.   I have health insurance (FEHB) through federal gov retirement for entire family. 

My questions: Is Champva automatic or do you need to enroll family?  Do you have to enroll/accept Champva?   Are there any draw backs to enrolling family in champva if you have other insurance?  I read on the OPM website, FEHB is primary payer, then champva.  

Thanks.  

Edited April 12, 2020 by Signal6 (see edit history)

[Buck52]

Signal6

Congratulation on your Award.100% w/P&T..well done sir.

Yes you need to apply for ChampVA, When you recieve your award packet  the applications for ChampVA should be in there, you need to get them read them they explain how the insurance works and gives you a phone # to call if you have questions, also the 10.000.00 free life insurance applications should have come with your packet  read it and send it in too,

ChampVA  Senior Representative is Glenn Johnson   he is based out of the Denver Office  he can answer any of your questions, he some times is on the hadit podcast radio show  so you can call in to the show when he is going to be the guest  Jbasser and Jerreal cook will let hadit members know  when Glen will be on and post it.

IF THESE APPLICATIONS WERE NOT IN YOUR PACKET CALL THE 1-800#

KEEP ALL THESE PAPERS IN A FOLDER IN YOUR HOME, AND KEEP EVERYTHING THE VA SENDS YOU MAKE EXTRA COPIES FOR SAFE KEEPING, YOU MAY NEED THEM LATER OR YEARS LATER.

 

Again Congratulations.

[deedub75]

I have FEHB through retirement as well and my family has CHAMPVA.  Your FEHB will be the primary and CHAMPVA will be the secondary.  As long as the doctors' offices file primary and secondary insurance (not all of them will file both), you won't have to pay anything out of pocket for you wife and children covered under both.  You should also receive prescription cards so your pharmacy can file primary and secondary.  You can be reimbursed for out of pocket costs as well from CHAMPVA.  

Also, check the effective date of you award for 100% P&T.  If your effective date is in the past, I believe you can file for reimbursements from that date.  

[Signal6]

Thank you Buck52 and deedub75.  I received my decision letter, but there was't much info included other than the decision. I was able to download all the award letters from VA ebenefits site to confirm P&T.  The award date was Dec 21, 2019.    Maybe a second package will come, but if not I will call the 800 number.  It is good to know you can have both FEHB and Champva.  I will sign up my family for sure.  

Thanks again for the info.  

[broncovet]

Whoa HOSS!!  If you get Tricare you cant get Champva, at least according to this site:

https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/318

I dont know which is better, Champva or Tricare.  I do know, that, in my area, Tricare is accepted more.  Its a pretty big retirement area for WPAFB.  

 

[Buck52]

 Broncovet ''According to FEHB and ChampVA'' 

Can you have Tricare and FEHB at the same time?

Employees can count their coverage under TRICARE toward meeting this requirement. However, the employee must be enrolled in an FEHB health plan on the date of retirement to continue coverage. ... Yes, if you are eligible for this TRICARE program, you can suspend your FEHB coverage.

 

[broncovet]

You are right, Buck.  I posted that about Tricare and Champva, which are mutualy exclusive.  Fehb is obviously different than Tricare.  Oh and 

CHAMPVA is not automatic.  You have to apply for it, and be eligible, too.  

[Berta]

I have been on CHAMPVA for almost 30 years. It is Wonderful.

Much info on CHAMPVA here as well as the application form.

https://www.va.gov/health-care/family-caregiver-benefits/champva/

[shrekthetank1]

So what is the going cost to have ChampVA?  Just wondering as I will probably be looking at this fall if all goes well at the CAVC!  

I think i found it.

The CHAMPVA deductible is applied to the first medical or pharmacy claims processed in 2019 until the deductible is met.

• Annual CHAMPVA Deductible is $50 per beneficiary or a maximum of $100 per family per year.
• Annual Supplement Deductible is $250 per beneficiary or a maximum of $500 per family per year.

Age of Spouse, Widow/er	Monthly	Quarterly	Semi-Annual	Annual
Under 40	$32.04	$96.12	$192.24	$384.48
40 - 44	$35.60	$106.80	$213.60	$427.20
45 - 49	$40.94	$122.82	$245.64	$491.28
50 - 54	$52.51	$157.53	$315.06	$630.12
55 - 59	$62.30	$186.90	$373.80	$747.60
60 - 64	$74.76	$224.28	$448.56	$897.12
65+	$94.34	$283.02	$566.04	$1,132.08
Each Child	$24.92	$74.76	$149.52	$299.04

Edited April 13, 2020 by shrekthetank1 (see edit history)

[Signal6]

Thanks everyone. I sent in the champva applications for my family yesterday.  

[MarkInTexas]

Wonder if there is a time limit for how long you have to file for CHAMPVA after receiving a 100% P&T decision from the VA?

 

Mark

 

[Buck52]

Mark I believe they do have a time limit to file  i am not sure wha tit is but I seem to think its 2 years? be sure to send copies of your DD 214  MARIAGE LIC, and birth certificates ,  the link BELOW should tell you what to send  but if you miss sending something  it just take a longer time to be approved  so read up on the instructions when applying for ChampVA.

check this link out  I see Ms Berta sent one too

https://www.va.gov/health-care/family-caregiver-benefits/champva/

[MarkInTexas]

Thanks, Buck!  I was wondering about that.  It’s something to keep in mind that there are clocks running on several veterans benefits as soon as that decision is rendered.  Same holds true on life insurance.

Great information!

Mark

 

[Buck52]

Yeah I remember when I got 100% and P&T and got the Chapter 35 ChampVA back in 2002 and also educational allowances for spouse  if she wanted to go back to school and pursue a degree  which she never did. ,.

but we  never filed for the champVA  right away  and just put the award letter to the side and started to enjoy our life  it was finally over after years of Appeals.

...but I quickly learned here on hadit to check those award letters for these applications because they do have time lines to file..I re-look at my award letter and sure enough there was the chapter 35 applications...so we filed them and she started getting the ChampVA Insurance and the free life insurance.

    at this time the VA was letting the spouses of veterans 100% get health care at the VAMC  it was called Citted care  or something like that? 

but after about 3 or 4 years or after 2005 they stopped the spouses from getting health care at the VAMC, bummer

  So she had to use the private Dr's  but ChampVA Was a big help with the bills.  she is on Medicare now  but was medically retired at age 60, she is 66 now and on medicare and still uses the ChampVA Insurances and med's by mail.