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

[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.