Accident victims to receive ₹1L cashless treatment, says health minister | Mumbai news

Mumbai: In a significant step towards strengthening emergency healthcare, Maharashtra’s public health minister Prakash Abitkar on Friday announced that all accident victims across the state will now be eligible for cashless medical treatment of up to ₹1 lakh—irrespective of their enrolment in government health schemes.

The announcement was made during a review meeting held at the headquarters of the State Health Guarantee Society in Worli. The meeting focused on key government health initiatives, including Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.

Chief executive officer of the State Health Guarantee Society Annasaheb Chavan, chairman of the Ayushman Bharat Mission Maharashtra Committee Dr Omprakash Shete, and senior health department officials were present.

“Immediate medical attention is crucial for accident victims. However, many face delays in treatment as they do not carry large sums of cash while travelling. To address this, all accident victims will now receive cashless treatment up to ₹1 lakh at nearby hospitals,” said Abitkar. He directed officials to finalise the operational procedures and ensure swift implementation.

Expansion of hospital network

To broaden the reach of government health schemes, the state has also decided to increase the number of empanelled private hospitals from the current 1,792 to 4,180. A district-level committee, headed by the district collector, will oversee the selection of hospitals to ensure transparency.

Additionally, a dedicated mobile app will be developed to provide real-time information about hospitals covered under the schemes, bed availability, and a facility to register complaints.

Abitkar also announced the formation of a study committee to explore the inclusion of more treatments—especially high-cost procedures such as organ transplants—under the schemes. The panel will also look into rationalising treatment rates and incorporating primary healthcare services. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a month.

In a bid to enhance community health outreach, every empanelled hospital will be required to organise at least one free health camp each month and offer cashless treatment to a minimum of five patients. Public representatives will be encouraged to participate in organising these camps.

Boost to Ayushman card distribution

To accelerate the distribution of Ayushman Bharat health cards, the minister instructed the involvement of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, Anganwadi workers, ration shopkeepers, and civic service centres. He also proposed an increase in their honorarium for assisting in this campaign.