Soon, cashless treatment at AIIMS for CGHS card-holders
New Delhi: It may come as a big relief to Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries as the government has decided to provide cashless treatment facilities to all CGHS beneficiaries at premier healthcare institutes of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
A pilot project in this regard would soon start in AIIMS, New Delhi, wherein CGHS beneficiaries wouldn't have to pay for diagnostic procedures as well as other chargeable lab tests, including bed charges.
Notably, the OPD facilities and some tests in AIIMS are free for all, while the institute offers free of cost diagnostic procedures for patients belonging to BPL categories, while general category patients need to pay to get lab facilities at the premier institute, which are far less compared to other hospitals.
As per the proposal, the Health Ministry is about to sign an agreement with the AIIMS to start cashless treatment facilities for all CGHS beneficiaries and the expenses incurred on CGHS beneficiaries would be directly reimbursed to the premier institute.
"Given that CGHS cardholders are entitled to get treatment at any Central government hospital, we are working on the proposal to make it cashless in AIIMS. The beneficiaries would have to visit the healthcare centre and get his/her treatment done, and the CGHS would take the billing part care," a senior official in the Health Ministry said.
The official further added that the talks are in the final stage and it would be formalised very soon. "The AIIMS, New Delhi has agreed to roll out the scheme, and once it becomes successful, the facility would be launched in every government hospital across the country," the official said, adding that separate registration counters would also be opened to implement the scheme.
"Once the scheme becomes operational, it would prove to be a major relief for CGHS beneficiaries as they wouldn't have to wait for long in queues to pay fees for procedures/tests," said Vijay Kumar Gurjar, an AIIMS doctor.
