The short answer
Report changes right away that affect eligibility or who pays: marriage, divorce, a child's school status, Medicare or TRICARE eligibility, other insurance, caregiver status, and your address. Changing your address on VA.gov doesn't update CHAMPVA. Call CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 or mail a signed request, and keep proof of what you sent.
Which changes should you report?
VA's CHAMPVA Guidebook says to report status changes right away, by phone, mail, or online. Some changes can end coverage. Others just change who pays first, or keep your mail coming.
| Change | What it can do |
|---|---|
| Divorce or annulment | Ends an ordinary spouse's CHAMPVA at midnight on the day it's final |
| A child marries | Ends the child's CHAMPVA |
| Surviving spouse remarries | Ends CHAMPVA if before 55; doesn't if 55 or older |
| A child 18 to 23 leaves school or graduates | Can end student coverage |
| Medicare eligibility | Usually requires Parts A and B to keep CHAMPVA |
| TRICARE eligibility | Ends CHAMPVA |
| New, changed, or ended other insurance | Changes who pays first (and can end caregiver-based CHAMPVA) |
| Caregiver status changes | Can end caregiver-based CHAMPVA |
| New address or phone | Keeps letters, cards, and EOBs reaching you |
If CHAMPVA pays for care after your eligibility ended, VA can ask for the money back. Reporting quickly protects you.
How do you update your address?
Updating your VA.gov profile doesn't update CHAMPVA. VA's address-change page says enrolled beneficiaries should either:
- Call CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 and have your old address handy, or
- Mail a signed and dated request to CHAMPVA, PO Box 500, Spring City, PA 19475.
If your application is still pending, update it through VA's existing-application process online, by mail, or by fax. Don't start a new application just to fix an address.
How do you report other insurance or Medicare?
Use VA Form 10-7959c whenever Medicare or other coverage starts, changes, or ends. Include copies of the front and back of the insurance or Medicare cards. You can send it online or by mail. More here: How to report other health insurance.
That form is for insurance changes. Don't use it for an address-only update unless VA tells you to.
What about marriage, divorce, and remarriage?
A divorce or annulment ends an ordinary spouse's CHAMPVA at midnight on the day it's final. A child who marries loses CHAMPVA. Surviving spouses follow different rules based on their age at remarriage. More here: Marriage, divorce, and annulment.
If a marriage brings a new dependent you want to add, VA says to submit a new CHAMPVA application for that person. More here: How to add a new dependent.
What about school?
For children 18 to 23, keep school certification current and report a withdrawal, a break in enrollment, or a graduation. More here: CHAMPVA for students ages 18 to 23.
What about Medicare and TRICARE?
If you become eligible for Medicare, you usually need Parts A and B to keep CHAMPVA. More here: CHAMPVA and Medicare at age 65 and before age 65.
If you become eligible for TRICARE, you lose CHAMPVA. This often happens when a Veteran who retired from the Reserve or Guard starts drawing retired pay. More here: CHAMPVA vs. TRICARE.
What about caregivers?
If you get CHAMPVA as a Primary Family Caregiver, new health coverage or a change in your caregiver status can end it. Tell CHAMPVA and your Caregiver Support team. More here: CHAMPVA for Primary Family Caregivers.
Keep proof
For every change, keep a copy of what you sent, the date you sent it, and notes on any calls, including who you spoke with.