The short answer
A CHAMPVA Supplemental Claim asks VA to look at a payment or eligibility decision again because you have new and relevant evidence, or because the law changed. You file VA Form 20-0995 with VFMP Appeals, PO Box 600, Spring City, PA 19475. There is no hard deadline, but filing within a year protects your effective date.
When should I use a Supplemental Claim?
When VA made a CHAMPVA payment or eligibility decision you disagree with and you have evidence VA did not see before. It also applies when a change in law affects your case. VA's family member reviews and appeals page lists it alongside Higher-Level Review and Board Appeal.
Here is a quick way to tell which path fits:
| Your situation | Usual next step |
|---|---|
| VA asked for missing documents, an OHI EOB, or proof of payment | Send what was asked for. No review needed. |
| You disagree and have new and relevant evidence | Supplemental Claim |
| You disagree but have no new evidence | Higher-Level Review |
| You want a Veterans Law Judge to decide | Board Appeal |
| VA denied preauthorization for care that has not happened yet | Preauthorization clinical appeal |
VA allows only one review option at a time for the same issue. If the claim was simply missing paperwork, see How to Resubmit a CHAMPVA Claim With Missing Information.
What counts as new and relevant evidence?
VA defines it simply:
- New means VA has not considered it before.
- Relevant means it proves or disproves something in the claim.
The evidence needs to speak to the reason VA gave for the decision. If VA said the record did not show medical need, a new provider letter or treatment record explaining the need is relevant. If VA denied eligibility, a document VA has not seen that proves the qualifying relationship or status is relevant.
Sending the same records again does not count. Neither does a large stack of unrelated material. A short, focused packet is easier for VA to review.
You do not have to collect every record yourself. VA Form 20-0995 lets you identify records for VA to request. VA will try to get federal records you identify and will make reasonable efforts to get private records if you give the needed authorization.
How do I fill out VA Form 20-0995 for CHAMPVA?
Use the current version of the form from VA's site.
- Benefit type: Choose Veterans Health Administration and write in CHAMPVA so it reaches the right office.
- Claimant information: If the person filing is not the Veteran, fill in the claimant section, including the relationship to the Veteran.
- Issues: List each decision you want reviewed and the date on the decision notice. VA only reviews the issues you list.
- Evidence: Attach the new evidence or identify the records VA should get. A short cover note helps: what decision you disagree with, what the new evidence is, and how it answers VA's reason for denying.
- Sign and copy: Sign the form and keep a copy of everything, including the decision letter or EOB you are disputing.
Where do I send it?
VA's family member page directs CHAMPVA Supplemental Claims to:
VFMP Appeals
PO Box 600
Spring City, PA 19475
Form 20-0995 lists addresses for many VA benefits. For CHAMPVA, use the family member program address above or the address in your decision notice.
Is there a deadline?
No hard cutoff. VA says Supplemental Claims may be submitted anytime. But timing still matters. The CHAMPVA Guidebook says that if you file after the review period ends, any resulting award is generally tied to the date VA receives the Supplemental Claim. VA's decision review FAQs recommend filing within a year of the decision to keep the earliest possible effective date.
In practice, file as soon as you have the evidence together. See CHAMPVA Appeal Deadlines for how this compares with the other options.
What about the old reconsideration rule in 38 CFR 17.277?
It only covers legacy claims. 38 CFR 17.277 still describes an older reconsideration process, but it now says it applies only to legacy claims. Modern CHAMPVA decisions use Supplemental Claims, Higher-Level Reviews, and Board Appeals.
Checklist before you mail it
- Current VA Form 20-0995, signed
- Claimant identifying information
- Each disputed issue and its decision date
- New and relevant evidence for each issue, or enough detail for VA to request it
- A short note tying the evidence to VA's reason for the decision
- Any authorization VA needs to get private records
- A full copy for your records
Does the path change for eligibility, claims, or preauthorization?
Sometimes.
- Eligibility decisions: A Supplemental Claim works when you have new documents. For the full set of options, see What to Do If CHAMPVA Says You're Not Eligible.
- Claim payment decisions: Find the exact denial or adjustment on the EOB first. How to Read a CHAMPVA Explanation of Benefits helps you tell a real denial from a request for information.
- Preauthorization: If the care has not happened, use the clinical preauthorization appeal. If the care already happened, VA treats it as a retroactive request through the normal review options. See Missed CHAMPVA Preauthorization.