Quick answer
IRS Form 1095-B is proof of health coverage. For CHAMPVA beneficiaries, it documents CHAMPVA coverage for the tax year, and the IRS specifically lists CHAMPVA as a government-sponsored form of minimum essential coverage.
You do not need to attach or file Form 1095-B with your federal income tax return. VA says you may still need a copy for a state tax filing or for your personal records.
Starting in 2026, VA stopped automatically mailing 1095-B forms. As of September 20, 2026, a CHAMPVA family member who needs the form should request a paper copy by calling CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.
What Form 1095-B tells you
The IRS uses Form 1095-B to report information about people who had minimum essential coverage. In the IRS instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B, CHAMPVA is specifically listed among the Department of Veterans Affairs programs that count as government-sponsored minimum essential coverage.
VA describes the CHAMPVA 1095-B as proof that you had CHAMPVA health coverage during the most recent tax year. The form is about health-coverage reporting; it does not replace your CHAMPVA ID card or enrollment records.
You can review the current rules in the IRS instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B and VA's CHAMPVA care guidance.
Do you need Form 1095-B to file taxes?
Federal taxes
VA says you no longer need to file Form 1095-B with your federal taxes. If you are preparing a federal return, the fact that VA did not automatically mail the form does not mean your CHAMPVA coverage changed.
State taxes
VA says you may still need the form for state tax filing. State requirements are not uniform, so check the current instructions from your state tax agency or ask your tax preparer whether a 1095-B or another proof-of-coverage document is required.
Personal records
You can also request the form simply to keep documentation of your health coverage for the year.
How a CHAMPVA family member requests a copy
VA's current family-member process is by phone:
- Call CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 (TTY: 711).
- Call Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.
- Tell the representative that you are a CHAMPVA family member and need your IRS Form 1095-B.
- Follow VA's identity-verification and mailing instructions for the paper copy.
VA stopped automatically mailing these forms in 2026, so receiving CHAMPVA benefits by itself does not trigger an automatic 1095-B mailing.
If you need a current CHAMPVA contact for another issue, see CHAMPVA Contacts, Mailing Addresses, and Official Forms.
Can CHAMPVA family members download the form online?
Not yet under VA's current family-member instructions as of September 20, 2026. VA currently tells CHAMPVA family members to request a paper copy by phone.
VA announced in January 2026 that it plans to make electronic 1095-B access available to family members through a VA.gov account by January 2027. That is a future rollout date, so use the current phone-request process unless VA has updated its instructions when you need the form.
Veterans using VA health care have a different 1095-B process and can already access their form electronically. Do not assume the Veteran download workflow is the current CHAMPVA family-member workflow.
What changed in 2026?
The important change is delivery, not CHAMPVA eligibility or benefits. VA stopped automatically mailing Form 1095-B and moved to a request-based process for family members.
VA's January 2026 announcement specifically says the change does not affect VA health care coverage or benefits. It only changes how the form is received.
If you need proof of CHAMPVA coverage for a provider
Form 1095-B is a tax-related coverage statement, not the document a provider usually needs for eligibility or billing. If a medical office is asking for CHAMPVA identification or payer details, see CHAMPVA Welcome Letter, ID Card, and Payer Information.
A quick tax-form distinction
Form 1095-B reports minimum essential health coverage. It is different from Form 1095-A, which is generally associated with Health Insurance Marketplace coverage, and Form 1095-C, which is associated with certain employer-sponsored coverage.
If a tax preparer or state agency asks for a specific form, confirm which form they actually need before requesting records.
Bottom line
For a CHAMPVA beneficiary, Form 1095-B is evidence of health coverage. You do not need to file it with your federal income tax return, but you may need it for a state filing or your records. VA no longer mails it automatically. Under the current CHAMPVA family-member process, request a paper copy by calling 800-733-8387 (TTY: 711) during CHAMPVA customer-service hours.