WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 31, 2023 – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) introduced legislation to allow children of disabled veterans to remain eligible for VA health care until they are 26 years old – the same age the Affordable Care Act requires private-sector insurance plans to allow children to stay on their parents’ plans, as well as the military’s TRICARE program.
“When Americans sign up to serve our country, their loved ones serve and sacrifice alongside them as well,” said Senator Brown. “That’s why it’s especially important for the children of veterans who depend on CHAMPVA to stay on their parents’ insurance while they go on to college or start their careers. Our veterans should be able to keep their children on their health care, just like families with private insurance.”
“The CHAMPVA Program expands critical benefits for dependents and survivors of disabled veterans. However, under current law, many children are no longer considered dependents under this program after the age of 18,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “It is unacceptable that the children of those who sacrificed the most for our country do not have the same health care protections provided to other families under the Affordable Care Act. That is why my legislation strives to ensure that the dependents and survivors of American heroes are able to stay on their health insurance for an additional three to eight years. This is a simple matter of fairness that must be corrected.”
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) provides comprehensive health care benefits for dependents of permanently and totally-disabled veterans; survivors of veterans who died as a result of a service-connected disability; survivors of veterans who at the time of death were permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability; and survivors of service members who died in the line of duty. Currently, a child of a veteran loses eligibility for CHAMPVA at age 18 if they are not a student or at age 23 regardless.
The Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law in 2010, requires private-sector health plans to allow children to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26 years old, but this coverage was not extended to military or veteran health coverage. This discrepancy was addressed for TRICARE in 2011. The CHAMPVA Children’s Care Protection Act would fix this for VA’s CHAMPVA program.
This legislation is supported by Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS), Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A (JWV), and The Military Coalition (TMC) Survivor Committee.
“TAPS thanks Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Julia Brownley for reintroducing the CHAMPVA Children’s Care Protection Act of 2023 to expand CHAMPVA coverage for eligible children up to age 26. Many surviving young adults were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have found it difficult to find full-time employment in a challenging job market. These young adults and their surviving families cannot afford expensive out-of-pocket health care costs and should not be uninsured as we transition from a health care and mental health crisis. Surviving families with young adults should be provided the same affordable access to health care as civilian families under the protection of the Affordable Care Act. We urge swift passage of this critical legislation.” Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
“By expanding the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), children of eligible veterans, family members, and survivors will be able to keep their health care coverage until age 26,” said JWV National Commander Colonel Nelson L. Mellitz, USAF, Retired. Mellitz noted “Now is the time for Congress to act so that CHAMPVA eligibility will be aligned with private sector and Department of Defense TRICARE insurance plans.”