Question : CGHS

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether earlier CGHS cards issued in the paper form are used to be valid till service tenure;

(b) if so, whether the new CGHS plastic cards are valid only for five years resulting in huge losses to Government exchequer as well as inconvenience to the beneficiaries;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons for rationale behind revalidation of all CGHS beneficiaries of plastic cards even after computerisation;

(d) whether the Government is considering to revalidate only those CGHS plastic cards where the entitlement of the beneficiary has changed;

(e) if so, the time by which it is likely to be made effective and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(f) the corrective steps taken by the Government to make the process of CGHS Cards easier?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a): Earlier the CGHS cards issued in paper form used to be valid for 10 years. New paper cards with different Series Numbers used to be issued once in ten years in respect of both serving employees as well as pensioners.
(b) & (c): The validity of the new plastic CGHS cards issued to serving employees has been fixed as five years, as the pay of serving employees may change resulting into change in entitlement of CGHS facilities. Also, the employees are liable to be transferred and they may also change their place of residence to non-CGHS area thereby losing entitlement for CGHS facility.
As far as pensioners are concerned, Life time CGHS plastic cards are being issued since 2011 to the pensioner CGHS beneficiaries who have paid 10 years contribution.
(d) & (e): There is no proposal to issue CGHS cards to the serving employees for the entire service period due to the reasons as mentioned at (b) & (c) above.
(f): CGHS Plastic cards are being issued through the concerned CGHS Wellness Centres. CGHS facilities are not denied while awaiting the issue of revalidated plastic cards.