Definition of CHAMPUS

CHAMPUS: Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services. CHAMPUS is a US federally funded health program that provides beneficiaries with medical care, supplemental to that available in US military and Public Health Service facilities. All CHAMPUS beneficiaries switch to using Medicare at age 65. CHAMPUS is like Medicare in that the government contracts with private parties to administer the program. CHAMPUS was revamped as a managed care system and renamed TRICARE.