CHAMPVA pays 75 percent of the allowable amount for covered care. Supplement plans exist to pick up your 25 percent. They are marketed hard to CHAMPVA families, so here are the actual plans, their published prices, who can buy one, and who really comes out ahead. ChampvaDoctors.com is not paid by any plan named here.
What a CHAMPVA supplement does
A CHAMPVA supplemental insurance plan is a private policy that pays your share of covered costs after CHAMPVA pays its 75 percent. Once the plan's own deductible is met, a covered doctor visit or hospital stay can cost you nothing out of pocket.
These plans are sold through membership associations. They are not VA products, and the VA neither sells nor endorses them. You join the sponsoring association to buy one.
Who can buy one
- Under 65 and not on Medicare. The plans are for CHAMPVA spouses and widow(er)s under 65. SelmanCo, which runs the GEA plan, says plainly that Medicare beneficiaries may not enroll. USBA allows a spouse over 65 only with Social Security proof that they are not entitled to Medicare Part A.
- Unmarried dependent children can be covered too, up to age 23 if they are full-time students. The exact cutoff for younger children differs by plan, so ask.
- Not every state. USBA's plan is not sold in Alaska, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Utah or Washington. GEA and SelmanCo also say their plan is not available in all states.
If you are 65 or older with Medicare and CHAMPVA, you almost never need a supplement: Medicare pays first and CHAMPVA picks up most of what is left.
The plans you can compare
USBA CHAMPVA Supplement
Sponsored by the Uniformed Services Benefit Association, underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company. Pays 100 percent of your CHAMPVA cost share for covered inpatient and outpatient care after a $250 per person plan deductible ($500 family maximum), until the CHAMPVA yearly cap is reached. Publishes its prices (below). USBA membership required.
See the USBA plan or call 877-297-9235 ext. 554 (Mon to Fri, 9 to 4 Central).
GEA CHAMPVA Supplement
Sponsored by the Government Employees Association, administered by Selman and Company (SelmanCo), underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company. Covers the cost share left over from covered inpatient and outpatient care after its deductible. Under 65 only. GEA membership required. Prices are not published; ask for a quote.
See the GEA plan or call 888-214-0794.
VFW Insurance Program
The VFW Insurance Program, administered by Lockton Affinity, lists TRICARE and CHAMPVA supplement coverage for VFW members and their families. Check its page for current plan details and pricing.
Compare at least two before you buy, and get every answer in writing.
What they cost
USBA is the only plan here that publishes prices. They are set by age and billed every three months. The table shows USBA's regular rate after the first year and what that works out to per month. New members pay 11 percent less for the first 12 months (not offered in Ohio or Kentucky).
| Age of spouse or widow(er) | Every 3 months | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40 | $108 | $36 |
| 40 to 44 | $120 | $40 |
| 45 to 49 | $138 | $46 |
| 50 to 54 | $177 | $59 |
| 55 to 59 | $210 | $70 |
| 60 to 64 | $252 | $84 |
| Each child | $84 | $28 |
Source: USBA plan profile, form CV-PlanProfile-Retail-5928-092025. Rates go up as you move into each new age band and can change, so confirm the current price before you enroll.
The honest math
Remember two numbers before buying: your cost share is 25 percent of Medicare-level rates, and your family's yearly cost share is already capped at $3,000 by CHAMPVA itself.
A worked example. A 52-year-old spouse on the USBA plan pays $177 every three months, or $708 a year after the first year. The plan pays nothing until its own $250 deductible is met, and CHAMPVA's $50 outpatient deductible does not count toward it. So the plan only comes out ahead once your 25 percent share passes about $958 in a year, which means roughly $3,900 or more of covered care billed through CHAMPVA. In a bad year that hits the $3,000 cap, it saves about $2,000.
- A healthy person with a checkup and a few visits a year pays more in premiums than the plan returns. Most years, they lose money.
- Someone with chronic conditions, regular specialist visits, ongoing therapy or a planned surgery can pass that line early in the year. For them a supplement can save real money and make costs predictable.
- The worst case is already capped. A supplement turns a bad year's $3,000 exposure into premiums you chose in advance. It is budget protection, not survival protection.
Watch the pre-existing condition rule. Under the USBA plan, a condition you were treated for in the 6 months before coverage starts is not covered until the plan has been in force for 6 months. The rule is waived if you enroll within 30 days of your CHAMPVA coverage starting, so the best time to decide is right when CHAMPVA begins.
Questions to ask any supplement seller
- What is the plan's own deductible, and does it apply per person or per family?
- Does it cover the CHAMPVA outpatient deductible or only cost shares?
- What happens to my premium at the next age band?
- Are pre-existing conditions subject to a waiting period?
- Is there a membership fee for the sponsoring association on top of the premium?
If a seller cannot answer these plainly, walk away. If you rarely see doctors, keeping the $3,000 cap as your backstop and simply banking the premium is a legitimate choice.
Common questions
Is CHAMPVA supplemental insurance required?
No. It is optional private coverage. CHAMPVA works fully without it, and your out-of-pocket costs for covered care are already capped at $3,000 per family per year.
Who sells CHAMPVA supplement plans?
Membership associations sponsor them and insurers underwrite them. The main ones are the USBA CHAMPVA Supplement (underwritten by Hartford, prices published by age), the GEA CHAMPVA Supplement (administered by SelmanCo, also underwritten by Hartford), and the VFW Insurance Program for VFW members. You join the sponsoring association to buy. Compare at least two.
How much does a CHAMPVA supplement cost?
USBA publishes its prices: after the first year, about $36 a month for a spouse under 40, $59 a month at ages 50 to 54, and $84 a month at 60 to 64, plus $28 a month per child. New members pay 11 percent less for the first year. The plan also has a $250 per person deductible.
Can I get a CHAMPVA supplement if I am 65 or on Medicare?
Generally no. The plans are for people under 65, and SelmanCo states that Medicare beneficiaries may not enroll. USBA makes an exception for a spouse over 65 who has Social Security proof of not being entitled to Medicare Part A.
Does a CHAMPVA supplement cover dental or vision?
Generally no. Supplements mirror CHAMPVA and pay your share of CHAMPVA-covered services. Dental and vision need separate standalone policies.
Is a supplement worth it for someone with Medicare and CHAMPVA?
Usually not. With Medicare primary and CHAMPVA secondary, most covered costs are already paid in full between the two programs, leaving little for a supplement to do.
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Keep reading
- How to Find a CHAMPVA Provider Near You
- Can You Go to Any Doctor With CHAMPVA?
- How Much Does CHAMPVA Cost in 2026?
- The Pros and Cons of CHAMPVA, Honestly
Sources
- CHAMPVA care: what is covered and what it costs (VA.gov)
- CHAMPVA provider fact sheet, VA IB-10-1587 (PDF)
- USBA CHAMPVA Supplement plan page
- USBA CHAMPVA Supplement plan profile, form CV-PlanProfile-Retail-5928-092025 (PDF)
- GEA CHAMPVA Supplement plan information
- SelmanCo CHAMPVA Supplement plan
- VFW Insurance Program: health and wellness plans