Central Government Health Scheme

Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) provides comprehensive medical care to the Central Government employees and pensioners enrolled under the scheme.

Overview of CGHS

• CGHS caters to the healthcare needs of eligible beneficiaries covering all four pillars of democratic set up in India namely Legislature, Judiciary, Executive and Press.
• CGHS is the model Health care facility provider for Central Government employees & Pensioners and is unique of its kind due to the large volume of beneficiary base, and open ended generous approach of providing health care.
• Approximately 42 lakh beneficiaries are covered by CGHS in 80 cities all over India.
• CGHS provides health care through following systems of Medicine - Allopathic, Homoeopathic, Indian system of medicine (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Yoga)

Eligibility for Joining CGHS

Persons Eligible under the Central Government Health Scheme

• All Central Government employees paid from the Central Civil Estimates (except Railways and Delhi Administration), including their families.including their dependent family members residing in CGHS covered areas.
• Pensioners of Central Government (except pensioners belonging to Railways and the Armed Forces) and their families.
• Central Government Pensioners retiring with Contributory Provident Fund benefits and their families.
• Widows of Central Government pensioners, in receipt of family pension.
• Delhi Police personnel and their families, in Delhi only.
• Railway Board employees.
• Civilian employees of Defence paid from Defence Service Estimates.
• Child drawing pension on death of a Central Government employee including minor brothers and sisters of such child.
• Ex-Governors and Lt. Governors and their families.
• Ex-Vice Presidents and their families.
• Central Government servants who are deputed to semi-government and autonomous bodies receiving substantial grant from, or financed by the Central Government.
• Central Govt. employees on deputation to statutory/autonomous during the period of deputation.
• Military Officers while on deputation to civil departments and getting their emoluments from Central Civil Estimates.
• Families of Governments servants transferred to a non-CGHS area, for a maximum period of six months on deposit of CGHS contribution (for the period of 6 months) in advance.
• Families of IAS Officers on North-Eastern Cadre, who continue to stay back in Delhi even after repatriation of the IAS Officer to the North Eastern Cadre, provided that they continue to occupy Government accommodation in Delhi/New Delhi, on deposit of CGHS contribution in advance (one to three years). The same also applies to families of IAS Officers of J&K Cadre.
• Parliamentary Secretaries of the Central Government and their families.
• Members of Parliament and their families.
• Ex-Members of Parliament.
• Sitting Judges of Supreme Court and High Court of Delhi and former Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts. 
• Work Charged and Industrial Staff working in establishments run by various Ministries/Departments of Central Government, immediately from the date of their joining the service.
• Employees of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan stationed at Delhi & NCR, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
• Employees of Ordnance Factory Board Headquarters, Kolkata and Ordnance Equipment Factories Headquarters, Kanpur.
• All India Service pensioners who retire while serving under the State at their option. 
• Freedom Fighters and members of their family receiving Central Pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme.
• Family members of the Deceased Ex-Members of Parliament. 
• Pensioners of Ordnance factories.
• Members of Staff Side of the National Council of the Joint consultative Machinery, even though not serving as Central Government employees.
• Persons employed in semi-government and autonomous bodies who are permitted to join the CGH Scheme.
• An Accredited Journalist who produces a certificate from the Press Council of India stating that he is a member of the Press Association, New Delhi (for OPD and at RML Hospital)
• Retired Divisional Accountants of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department and those whose pay and pension are entirely borne by the State governments.
• PSU employees who had commuted 100% of their pension and have been restored 1/3rd portion of their pension after 15 years.
• Employees of Statutory Bodies/Autonomous Bodies of Central Govt. (including those who proceeded on deputation initially or were on deemed deputation and then absorbed), who are in receipt of Central Civil Pension.
• Serving and retired Railway Audit Staff.
• Retired Divisional Accounts Officers and Divisional Accountants of the Office of Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
• CISF personnel (and their families) and CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) personnel posted in CGHS cities.
• Employees of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, Employees of India Pharmacopoeia Commission, and their families.
• Family and dependent members of a Central Govt. employee (a CGHS beneficiary) who stay back in CGHS covered area after posting of the employee to N.E. region (including Sikkim), Andaman & Nicobar Lakshadweep or Ladakh region and CAPF personnel posted in Left Wing Extremist areas, on payment of annual CGHS contribution in advance.
• Defence Industrial Employees of Naval Dockyard Central Ordnance Depot and AFMSD, in Mumbai.

Eligibility Criterion 

"Residence" alone (and not the Headquarters) is the criterion for determining eligibility of a Central Government servant for availing medical facilities under the Central Government Health Scheme. Thus, Central Government employees and their family members etc. residing in any of the notified cities are covered under the Scheme.

Facilities available under CGHS

• OPD Treatment at Wellness Centres including issue of medicines.
• Specialist Consultation at Polyclinic/Govt. Hospitals and at CGHS empanelled hospitals after referral by CGHS.
• OPD/ Indoor treatment at Government and empanelled Hospitals.
• Investigations at Government and empanelled Diagnostic centers.
• Cashless facility available for treatment in empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centers for Pensioners and other identified beneficiaries.
• Reimbursement of expenses for treatment availed in Govt. /Private Hospitals under emergency and specific treatment advised by Govt. Specialist or Specialist of Pvt. HCOs duly endorsed by CMO/MO of WCs.
• Reimbursement of expenses incurred for purchase of hearing aids, artificial limbs, appliances etc., after obtaining permission.
• Family Welfare, Maternity and Child Health Services.
• Medical consultation. Dispensing of medicines in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani and Siddha system of medicines (AYUSH)

Source : CGHS

Related resources

• Book your Online appointment
• CGHS Contribution and Ward Entitlement
• Procedure for availing CGHS facilities
• Locate your nearest CGHS centre
• Empanelled Hospitals/Diagnostics Centre
• MyCGHS app (Android users)