Are you a sponsoring Veteran or beneficiary of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) program? If so, you and your health care provider may need to know if CHAMPVA pays the cost of certain medical treatments, medications or durable medical equipment.

With CHAMPVA Pay, this information will be at your fingertips.

The electronic application (app) is available for your mobile device and personal computer. It helps you work with your health care provider to determine what is reimbursable by the CHAMPVA program, based on medical codes. Codes include medical treatments, medications and durable medical equipment.

Enter code for answer

To download the app, go to the CHAMPVA Pay App. Then, select the appropriate format for your device (Apple or Android) or for your laptop or PC. Next, download the program. The app also is available directly from the Apple and Android app stores.

After downloading the app, enter the CPT (treatment code), ICD-10 (diagnostic code), or National Drug Code (or DME code) in question form into the corresponding search box. You will receive one of three possible responses:

  • “Yes, this service is reimbursable.”
  • “No, this service is not reimbursable.”
  • “Yes, with conditions.” This response will include a request to call a customer service representative to see what those special conditions are.

Technicians will make updates and add new medical codes each quarter. As a result, the app will remain as accurate as possible.


Glenn Johnson is the chief of Healthcare Media for the VHA Office of Community Care.

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19 Comments

  1. Pameler Dennis March 1, 2020 at 15:09

    i have been trying to get help for the last 2 years for my decompression machine to get imbursed on when i purchased it i was told that medicare would pay for it no answer back from them either. so could use some help with the expense.

  2. Sarah Kay Mason February 28, 2020 at 09:06

    I went to apps store on my iPhone but nothing there for CHAMPVA Pay app. How do I get this on my phone

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 16:01

      Sarah,
      At the eleventh-hour Apple declined to include the app in its Apple App Store. Unfortunately the messaging had already gone out. The good news is that you do not need a specific Apple version for your iPhone. You can simply download CHAMPVA Pay, from the Google Play web site at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.va.mobilehealth.champvalauncher or the VA app store at: https://mobile.va.gov/appstore/ and select the CHAMPVA Pay application icon for download.
      (if you highlight the URLs in this message and right click on them, it will open a window and one of the options is “go to the web address.” Click that option and you will be taken to that particular address.)

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 16:05

      Sarah,
      There is no specific version for an iPhone compatible version. The app itself is simply a link to the web page where the actual application resides on the VA servers. You can download that link from either the VA store or the Google app store. Unfortunately Apple would not put this link in their store as it did not meet their standards for entertainment or utility.

  3. Sandra G. Hill February 21, 2020 at 21:32

    Is this app available in App Store for iPhone users?!

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 16:00

      Sandra,
      At the eleventh-hour Apple declined to include the app in its Apple App Store. Unfortunately the messaging had already gone out. The good news is that you do not need a specific Apple version for your iPhone. You can simply download CHAMPVA Pay, from the Google Play web site at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.va.mobilehealth.champvalauncher or the VA app store at: https://mobile.va.gov/appstore/ and select the CHAMPVA Pay application icon for download.
      (if you highlight the URLs in this message and right click on them, it will open a window and one of the options is “go to the web address.” Click that option and you will be taken to that particular address.)

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 16:04

      Sandra,
      There is no specific version for an iPhone compatible version. The app itself is simply a link to the web page where the actual application resides on the VA servers. You can download that link from either the VA store or the Google app store. Unfortunately Apple would not put this link in their store as it did not meet their standards for entertainment or utility.

  4. Carolyn Avent February 18, 2020 at 16:12

    How do I apply for CHAMPVA coverage? I am the wife of a veteran.

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 15:46

      Carolyn,
      This web page has all of the information you will need on how to apply for CHAMPVA.

      https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/dependents/champva/champva_apply.asp

      Simply highlight the URL, then right click and a window will open with a number of options. One of them is “go to ___) and it will have the URL there. Click than it will take you to the how to apply web page.

  5. Eulalio A Rodriguez February 18, 2020 at 13:52

    I meant do I know if am on champva or tricare insurance. How can I pay extra into my champva and or tricare insurance to get the max insurance care.

    Sign, Eulalio A Rodriguez

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 15:52

      Eulalio,
      You would have to apply for whichever you are entitled to so presumable you would know from that experience. Neither of those are automatically assigned to a veteran or dependent. Now, having said that, CHAMPVA is not for veterans so if you are the sponsoring veteran it would be for your family, not for you. If you are entitled to TRICARE then your family is not entitled to CHAMPVA as TRICARE eligible dependents are expected to select that choice and you cannot choose between the two.

      Here is the difference, TRICARE is for all active duty military dependents, dependents of those members who have retired from the armed services or who were medically retired from the armed services.

      CHAMPVA is for the dependents of veterans who have been rated “Permanent and Total” by the VA, who have died of a service connected disability, who were rated as P&T at the time of death or who died on active duty but are otherwise not entitled to TRICARE.

      I hope this helps.

  6. Eulalio A Rodriguez February 18, 2020 at 13:47

    How do I know if am on Champva or Trimmed insurance and much extra can put in to the insurance to make a better coverage.

    Sign, Eulalio A Rodriguez

    • Ron February 18, 2020 at 19:38

      Is your spouse considered to be Permanently and Totally (P&T) disabled by the VA?
      If not, you are eligible for CHAMPVA.

      CHAMPVA is not for the veteran. It only covers dependents of veterans that are considered P&T by the VA.

      How do you know if the veteran is considered P&T?
      Go to eBenefits (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage) and log in. At the middle right of your screen, you should see “Popular Items:” and below that, you will see a link for “Letter Generator.” Click that. The next page, in “Step 2” on the right side of the page, you will see a link for “Benefit Summary – Veteran Benefits. Click that. Read through the list under “VA Benefit Information” to see if there is something saying “You are considered to be totally and permanently disabled due solely to your service-connected disabilities.” It will either say Yes or No next to it.

      If yes, the dependents of the veteran are eligible for CHAMPVA but you (or the veteran) would need to apply for it. Google “Apply for CHAMPVA” for information. If it says no, then they are not eligible.

      There is only one “level” or CHAMPVA. Either you have it or you don’t. There is no cost for CHAMPVA insurance but there are deductibles.

      I can’t help you much with info on Tricare except saying that you have to be retired (or maybe medically discharged) from the armed services to be eligible.

      • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 15:54

        Ron,
        You are incorrect in your assessment of CHAMVPA eligibility. Here is the actual criteria.

        TRICARE is for all active duty military dependents, dependents of those members who have retired from the armed services or who were medically retired from the armed services or who died on active duty.

        CHAMPVA is for the dependents of veterans who have been rated “Permanent and Total” by the VA, who have died of a service connected disability, who were rated as P&T at the time of death or who died on active duty but are otherwise not entitled to TRICARE.

  7. Daniel Razo February 18, 2020 at 10:31

    The app isn’t on the app store, nor does the link show anything related to ChampVa

    • PAUL J TABONE February 18, 2020 at 14:56

      I don’t find it anywhere either.

      • Ron February 18, 2020 at 19:50

        In the article above, where it says “Enter code for answer To download the app, go to the CHAMPVA Pay App.”, the “CHAMPVA Pay App” is a link. It will bring you to a page that will give you the option of “Launch in Browser” or “Download in Google Play.”

        The CHAMPVA Pay is just a website, not really an app. What you will download from the link above is just a “launcher” to send you to that website.

    • Amanda February 19, 2020 at 07:19

      Here’s the direct link: https://mobile.va.gov/app/champva-pay

    • Glenn Johnson March 10, 2020 at 15:42

      Daniel,
      Sarah,
      At the eleventh-hour Apple declined to include the app in its Apple App Store. Unfortunately the messaging had already gone out. The good news is that you do not need a specific Apple version for your iPhone. You can simply download CHAMPVA Pay, from the Google Play web site at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.va.mobilehealth.champvalauncher or the VA app store at: https://mobile.va.gov/appstore/ and select the CHAMPVA Pay application icon for download.

      (if you highlight the URLs in this message and right click on them, it will open a window and one of the options is “go to the web address.” Click that option and you will be taken to that particular address.)

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