CHAMPVA Psychiatrists

What a psychiatrist does

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, and who prescribe and manage psychiatric medication, often alongside therapy from a psychologist or counselor.

What CHAMPVA covers for psychiatry

Outpatient psychiatric visits and medication management are covered with the standard deductible and 25 percent cost share, and no referral is required. The VA's current preauthorization list names inpatient mental health care and care for alcohol or substance use disorders, so a hospital stay or a treatment program needs advance approval, while office visits do not. Care obtained at a VA facility under the CHAMPVA In-house Treatment Initiative needs no approval at all.

Find psychiatrists who can bill CHAMPVA, by state

Pick your state. The search opens with the Psychiatry 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.

Psychiatrists 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: 52,571.

Related guides

• CHAMPVA Mental Health Coverage, Explained
• Meds by Mail: The Free CHAMPVA Pharmacy Benefit

All specialties

Sources

• CHAMPVA care: what is covered and what it costs (VA.gov)
• Getting care through CHAMPVA: network, referrals, and preauthorization (VA.gov)
• CHAMPVA provider fact sheet, VA IB-10-1587 (PDF)
• 38 CFR 17.272, CHAMPVA benefit limitations and exclusions (eCFR)

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.