There are many bills making their way through Congress that could impact the benefits available to military families, and one of the newest pieces of legislation could have a significant impact. Introduced by Senators Patty Murray and Jon Tester, the proposal would extend health coverage to the older children of servicemembers under the Veterans Affairs' Department's Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), according to Army Times.
The bill would change the age limit for when a veteran's child can receive healthcare coverage from 18 to 26, a change that falls in line with the Affordable Care Act as well as a similar change for TRICARE that took effect in 2011. Murray, the chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, says the change is necessary as thousands of troops return home from Afghanistan and to keep it in line with changes to the civilian population.
"In our ongoing commitment to keep the faith with our nation's heroes, this bill ensures CHAMPVA recipients, without regard to their type of coverage, student status, or marital status, are eligible for health care coverage under their parent's plan in the same way as their peers," Murray said in a statement.
The new rules could prove to be a big help to thousands of family members. According to Army Times, the VA estimates as many as 24,000 young adults could receive coverage by 2020.