Chandigarh, Oct 27 (PTI) In a step towards making healthcare more affordable and accessible, the Haryana government has extended the benefits of the Chirayu health scheme to families with an annual income exceeding Rs 3 lakh.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Sumita Misra, said that the benefit of the extended scheme will come into effect from November 1.
Under the extended scheme, eligible families will be able to avail themselves of cashless hospital treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually by paying a nominal yearly contribution.
The expansion will enable more middle and higher-income families to access financial protection against the cost of hospital treatment, she said, according to an official statement.
Under the scheme, families with a verified annual income of more than Rs 3 lakh and up to Rs 6 lakh will pay Rs 4,000 per year, while those earning above Rs 6 lakh annually will contribute Rs 5,000 per year.
Eligible families will be entitled to cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh annually at empanelled public and private hospitals. Eligibility will be verified through the Parivar Pehchan Patra (family ID) database.
Misra said the expansion would help reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure and provide greater financial protection to families facing unexpected medical emergencies. By extending coverage beyond the existing income categories, the government aims to make quality hospital care accessible to more residents of Haryana.
The scheme follows the framework of Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and covers secondary and tertiary healthcare. It includes 2,694 treatment packages encompassing surgical procedures, medical treatments and day-care procedures. The cost of medicines and diagnostic services is covered as specified under the applicable packages.
An important feature of the scheme is that there is no restriction on the size of an eligible family or the age of its members. All pre-existing diseases are covered.
The treatment procedures also include investigations conducted up to three days before hospitalisation and eligible medical expenses incurred for 15 days after discharge, the statement said.
Misra stated that the beneficiaries can avail themselves of treatment at empanelled hospitals anywhere in India under the national portability provision.
A grievance redressal mechanism will operate at both district and state levels to address beneficiary complaints. At the time of admission, beneficiaries will be required to provide their Ayushman Bharat Golden Card number or PPP ID.
Individuals covered under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), railway health services or medical attendance schemes, as well as healthcare facilities provided by the armed forces and paramilitary forces will not be eligible.
Haryana government employees, retired state government employees and their dependants who are entitled to medical reimbursement or cashless treatment from the government will also be excluded.
Similarly, employees and pensioners of other state governments and Union Territory administrations, along with their dependants, will not be eligible if they receive corresponding medical benefits from their respective governments.
Beneficiaries aged 70 years or above will be covered under the Vay Vandana Scheme, in accordance with the provisions notified and amended by the Government of India from time to time.
The extension builds on the existing Chirayu arrangement for families with a verified annual income of more than Rs 1.80 lakh and up to Rs 3 lakh, who can avail themselves of the scheme by paying Rs 1,500 per family annually.
With the new provisions taking effect on November 1, the expansion marks a further step in the state government’s efforts to widen the reach of affordable healthcare and provide financial protection against hospitalisation expenses to a broader section of the population, Misra said. PTI SUN KSS
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