CHAMPVADoctors

CHAMPVA Physician Assistants

Physician assistants staff a growing share of the appointments CHAMPVA families actually get, especially in orthopedics, dermatology, and urgent care. CHAMPVA covers a PA visit like any other outpatient visit.

A clinician greets a military family with two young children in a bright exam room

What a physician assistant does

A physician assistant is a licensed clinician who examines patients, diagnoses illness, orders tests, and prescribes treatment while practicing with a supervising or collaborating physician. PAs handle primary care, urgent care, and a large share of specialty follow-up visits.

What CHAMPVA covers for physician assistants

PA visits are covered outpatient care: $50 yearly deductible, then 25 percent of the allowable amount, capped at $3,000 per family per year. If the PA works inside a hospital-based clinic, the Medicare rule applies: hospitals and hospital-based providers that accept Medicare must also accept CHAMPVA.

Before you book: When a specialist's schedule is full, ask whether the practice's PA can see you first. Same coverage, faster appointment.

Find physician assistants who can bill CHAMPVA, by state

Pick your state. The search opens with the Physician assistants filter already selected and shows real practice locations from the federal NPPES registry, with street addresses and local phone numbers. Then call with the 20-second script to confirm CHAMPVA.

Alabama2,217 physician assistantsAlaska1,550 physician assistantsArizona10,047 physician assistantsArkansas1,164 physician assistantsCalifornia24,362 physician assistantsColorado10,234 physician assistantsConnecticut7,048 physician assistantsDelaware1,646 physician assistantsWashington DC976 physician assistantsFlorida26,972 physician assistantsGeorgia11,405 physician assistantsHawaii725 physician assistantsIdaho4,717 physician assistantsIllinois14,870 physician assistantsIndiana7,069 physician assistantsIowa3,715 physician assistantsKansas3,376 physician assistantsKentucky4,537 physician assistantsLouisiana3,513 physician assistantsMaine2,604 physician assistantsMaryland9,575 physician assistantsMassachusetts10,973 physician assistantsMichigan16,287 physician assistantsMinnesota13,736 physician assistantsMississippi858 physician assistantsMissouri5,172 physician assistantsMontana2,477 physician assistantsNebraska3,319 physician assistantsNevada2,305 physician assistantsNew Hampshire2,819 physician assistantsNew Jersey8,969 physician assistantsNew Mexico1,708 physician assistantsNew York32,659 physician assistantsNorth Carolina23,486 physician assistantsNorth Dakota1,102 physician assistantsOhio14,883 physician assistantsOklahoma4,134 physician assistantsOregon6,951 physician assistantsPennsylvania30,451 physician assistantsRhode Island1,258 physician assistantsSouth Carolina6,668 physician assistantsSouth Dakota1,872 physician assistantsTennessee8,053 physician assistantsTexas24,238 physician assistantsUtah5,258 physician assistantsVermont868 physician assistantsVirginia10,874 physician assistantsWashington10,290 physician assistantsWest Virginia2,319 physician assistantsWisconsin12,095 physician assistantsWyoming620 physician assistants

Physician Assistants who accept Medicare assignment, by state

Clinicians who accept Medicare assignment can bill CHAMPVA, so these counts from the federal CMS Doctors and Clinicians registry (updated 2026-09-07) show how deep the bench is in each state. National total: 419,024.

StatePhysician Assistants
New York32,659
Pennsylvania30,451
Florida26,972
California24,362
Texas24,238
North Carolina23,486
Michigan16,287
Ohio14,883
Illinois14,870
Minnesota13,736
Wisconsin12,095
Georgia11,405
Massachusetts10,973
Virginia10,874
Washington10,290
Colorado10,234
Arizona10,047
Maryland9,575
New Jersey8,969
Tennessee8,053
Indiana7,069
Connecticut7,048
Oregon6,951
South Carolina6,668
Utah5,258
Missouri5,172
Idaho4,717
Kentucky4,537
Oklahoma4,134
Iowa3,715
Louisiana3,513
Kansas3,376
Nebraska3,319
New Hampshire2,819
Maine2,604
Montana2,477
West Virginia2,319
Nevada2,305
Alabama2,217
South Dakota1,872
New Mexico1,708
Delaware1,646
Alaska1,550
Rhode Island1,258
Arkansas1,164
North Dakota1,102
Washington DC976
Vermont868
Mississippi858
Hawaii725
Wyoming620

Common questions

Does CHAMPVA cover care from a physician assistant?

Yes. Medically necessary care provided by a physician assistant is covered like other outpatient care.

Is a PA at a hospital clinic required to accept CHAMPVA?

Hospitals and hospital-based providers that accept Medicare must also accept CHAMPVA, according to the VA. Independent practices decide for themselves.

Does a PA visit count toward the $3,000 cap?

Yes. Every deductible and cost share you pay for covered services counts toward the family's yearly catastrophic cap.

Related guides

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Sources

General information, not medical or insurance advice. Coverage rules are set by the VA and federal regulation and can change; confirm with CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 before treatment.