The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is a comprehensive healthcare program established by the Government of India to provide quality medical services to its employees, pensioners, and their dependents. The scheme, which was introduced in 1954, aims to ensure accessible, affordable, and reliable healthcare facilities across the country. With a wide network of dispensaries, polyclinics, and empaneled hospitals, CGHS plays a crucial role in safeguarding the health and well-being of the government workforce.
Objectives of CGHS
The CGHS program operates with the following primary objectives:
1.1. Ensuring Comprehensive Healthcare:
The primary goal of CGHS is to provide comprehensive healthcare services to government employees and their dependents. This includes access to essential medical facilities, consultations, diagnostic tests, specialist consultations, and hospitalization.
1.2. Promoting Wellness and Preventive Care:
CGHS emphasizes preventive healthcare by promoting awareness campaigns, periodic health check-ups, immunizations, and preventive screenings. By encouraging healthy lifestyles and early detection of diseases, the scheme aims to minimize health risks and promote overall well-being.
1.3. Affordable Healthcare:
CGHS strives to make quality healthcare affordable for government employees and their dependents. By empaneling private hospitals and negotiating rates for various medical procedures, the scheme ensures cost-effective medical services.
Services Offered by CGHS
2.1. Dispensaries:
CGHS operates a network of dispensaries in major cities across India. These dispensaries provide primary medical care, including consultations with general practitioners, distribution of medicines, and basic diagnostic facilities. They serve as the first point of contact for beneficiaries seeking medical assistance.
2.2. Polyclinics:
Polyclinics are comprehensive healthcare centers that offer specialized medical consultations, diagnostic tests, and outpatient services. These polyclinics house various specialists such as physicians, gynecologists, pediatricians, orthopedicians, and dentists, among others.
2.3. Empanelled Hospitals:
CGHS has tie-ups with a wide range of private hospitals and nursing homes across the country. These empaneled hospitals provide specialized medical services, including surgeries, diagnostic procedures, and hospitalization. Beneficiaries can avail themselves of cashless treatment at these hospitals, with the expenses directly settled by CGHS.
2.4. Medicines and Health Supplies:
CGHS provides a list of approved medicines and health supplies that are available to beneficiaries at CGHS dispensaries and empaneled pharmacies. Generic medicines are promoted to ensure affordability and accessibility.
Enrollment and Eligibility
3.1. Government Employees:
All central government employees, including serving and retired officials, are eligible for CGHS. They can enroll themselves and their dependent family members for the scheme.
3.2. Pensioners:
Retired government employees who were CGHS beneficiaries during their service period can continue to avail the benefits after retirement. They need to pay an annual contribution based on their pension.
3.3. Eligible Dependents:
Spouses, dependent children, and dependent parents of the government employee or pensioner are eligible for CGHS benefits. The scheme also extends coverage to mentally or physically disabled children who are dependent on the beneficiary.
Empanelment and Quality Control
4.1. Empanelment of Hospitals:
CGHS empanels private hospitals and nursing homes based on their infrastructure, medical facilities, quality of care, and adherence to CGHS guidelines. The empanelment process involves a rigorous assessment to ensure that the hospitals meet the required standards.
4.2. Quality Control Measures:
CGHS regularly monitors the empaneled hospitals to maintain the quality of healthcare services. Quality control measures include inspections
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS):
Q1: What is CGHS?
A1: CGHS stands for Central Government Health Scheme. It is a healthcare program initiated by the Government of India to provide comprehensive medical services to its employees, pensioners, and their dependents.
Q2: Who is eligible for CGHS?
A2: CGHS is primarily designed for central government employees and pensioners. They can enroll themselves and their dependent family members, including spouses, children, and parents, for CGHS benefits.
Q3: What services are provided under CGHS?
A3: CGHS offers a range of healthcare services, including consultations with general practitioners, specialized medical consultations, diagnostic tests, hospitalization, surgeries, and distribution of medicines.
Q4: Are there any preventive healthcare measures included in CGHS?
A4: Yes, CGHS emphasizes preventive healthcare. It promotes wellness and awareness campaigns, periodic health check-ups, immunizations, and preventive screenings to encourage a healthy lifestyle and early detection of diseases.
Q5: How can I access CGHS services?
A5: CGHS services can be accessed through a network of dispensaries, polyclinics, and empaneled hospitals. Beneficiaries can visit the nearest CGHS dispensary for primary medical care and consultation. For specialized consultations and hospitalization, they can visit empaneled hospitals.
Q6: Is CGHS limited to government hospitals only?
A6: No, CGHS has tie-ups with private hospitals and nursing homes as well. These empaneled hospitals offer specialized medical services, surgeries, and hospitalization. Beneficiaries can avail themselves of cashless treatment at these hospitals.
Q7: How does the empanelment process work?
A7: CGHS follows a stringent empanelment process for private hospitals. The hospitals are assessed based on their infrastructure, medical facilities, quality of care, and adherence to CGHS guidelines. Only those hospitals meeting the required standards are empaneled.
Q8: Is there a cost involved in availing CGHS services?
A8: Yes, CGHS beneficiaries are required to pay an annual contribution based on their pay scale or pension. The contribution amount covers the cost of medical services and medicines provided under the scheme.
Q9: Can CGHS beneficiaries get medicines from private pharmacies?
A9: CGHS provides a list of approved medicines and health supplies that are available at CGHS dispensaries and empaneled pharmacies. Beneficiaries are encouraged to obtain medicines from these authorized sources.
Q10: Can pensioners continue to avail CGHS benefits after retirement?
A10: Yes, pensioners who were CGHS beneficiaries during their service period can continue to avail the benefits after retirement. They need to pay an annual contribution based on their pension.
Q11: Can CGHS beneficiaries seek treatment outside their city of residence?
A11: Yes, CGHS beneficiaries can avail themselves of treatment outside their city of residence. CGHS has a wide network of empaneled hospitals across the country, ensuring access to medical services even when beneficiaries are away from their hometown.
Q12: Is emergency medical care covered under CGHS?
A12: Yes, CGHS covers emergency medical care. Beneficiaries can seek emergency treatment at empaneled hospitals, and the expenses will be reimbursed as per CGHS guidelines.
Q13: Can I change my CGHS dispensary or empaneled hospital?
A13: Yes, beneficiaries have the flexibility to change their CGHS dispensary or empaneled hospital. The transfer process can be initiated by submitting the required documents and following the prescribed procedure.
Q14: How can I register for CGHS?
A14: To register for CGHS, beneficiaries need to fill out the application form available on
