Benefit Extended for Some Veterans' Widows

April 15, 2004

The deadline has been extended for some remarried surviving spouses of veterans to seek health care insurance under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).

"This extension will allow [the Department of Veterans Affairs] to provide health care benefits to more widows and widowers of veterans," said Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Anthony J. Principi.

The extension applies to CHAMPVA-eligible spouses who remarry after a veteran's death. Surviving husbands and wives who remarried before their 55th birthday and before Feb. 4, 2003, lost their access to CHAMPVA benefits.

A previous extension gave those survivors until Feb. 4, 2004, to apply for reinstatement. The most recent announcement gives them a further extension until Dec. 16, 2004, to apply for reinstatement.

Under CHAMPVA, VA shares the cost of covered health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. CHAMPVA is a health care benefits program for dependents who are not otherwise eligible for DoD

TRICARE and for the spouse or widow(er) and for the children of a veteran who:

• is rated permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability by a VA regional office, or
• was rated permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected condition at the time of death, or
• died of a service-connected disability, or
• died on active duty

CHAMPVA covers most health care services and supplies that are medically and psychologically necessary.

People who want an application for this benefit or more information can contact VA's Health Administration Center at 800-733-8387.

Surviving spouses who remarry at a younger age and lose their CHAMPVA benefits can have these benefits restored if their later marriage is annulled or ends due to death or divorce. VA officials are concerned widows or widowers may overlook this benefit if a subsequent marriage ends years later.