New Delhi, Cashless treatment will now be available to all CGHS beneficiaries at the premier All India Institutes of Medical Sciences in Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Jodhpur, Raipur and Rishikesh, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday. The authorities have signed a memorandum of agreement with these six AIIMS to provide cashless treatment under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).

“Patient care facilities available at six fully functional AIIMS in Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Jodhpur, Raipur and Rishikesh shall be extended to the CGHS beneficiaries on cashless basis.

“It will be particularly beneficial for the senior citizens (retired pensioner beneficiaries of CGHS) who find it difficult to submit individual reimbursement claims and follow up approvals,” the ministry said.

The CGHS beneficiaries will have the advantage of accessing state-of-the-art treatment facilities available in these AIIMS, without the hassle of first making payments and then seeking reimbursements from CGHS.

This initiative will save time, reduce paperwork and also delays in settlement of individual claims, the ministry said.

Till now, CGHS pensioner beneficiaries, availing treatment at AIIMS, are required to first make payment and claim reimbursement later from CGHS.

According to the salient features of this initiative, the CGHS pensioners and other entitled categories of CGHS beneficiaries will be eligible for cashless treatment in OPD, investigations and indoor treatment at these six AIIMS. These six AIIMS shall raise credit bills of pensioners and other categories of eligible beneficiaries to CGHS, which shall preferably make payment within 30 days of receipt of the bills.

Admission of the beneficiary shall be made only against production of valid ID card for the treatment at AIIMS.

Besides, AIIMS shall create a separate help desk and a separate accounting system for CGHS beneficiaries. Medicines prescribed by the doctors at AIIMS, for OPD treatment or at the time of discharge from AIIMS, will be collected by the beneficiaries through CGHS.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan lauded this development stating “CGHS is a significant service-oriented vertical of the Health Ministry through which existing and retired employees can avail medical services”.

“The government endeavours to expand the number of hospitals empanelled under CGHS providing excellent tertiary care facilities aligned with the rising requirements of the patients,” he added.

He also stated that in the near future the AIIMS in New Delhi, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research in Puducherry will be incorporated in this agreement.

Bhushan elaborated that “a big segment will benefit from this agreement, as it seeks to ease the lengthy formalities and expedite access to medical care.”

CGHS provides comprehensive healthcare to central government employees, pensioners and their dependent family members, Members of Parliament, former MPs and other categories of beneficiaries. Currently, CGHS is in operation in 79 cities in the country.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), 22 new AIIMS have been established across the country and they are at varying stages of operationalisation.

Besides providing facilities for quality medical education and research, these premier institutions provide specialized healthcare services.

These institutes also provide trauma and emergency care services and state-of-the-art diagnostic services.