Question : CGHS Cards with Aadhaar Cards

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

(a) whether the Government has instructed the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries to enroll/ link their CGHS cards with Aadhaar cards in their respective dispensaries, if so, the aims and objectives thereto;

(b) whether the earlier CGHS cards issued in paper forms used to be valid for 10 years and the new CGHS plastic cards for only five years even after the computerisation and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the reasons for revalidation of all CGHS plastic cards in five years;

(d) the total expenditure likely to be incurred in every five years on account of revalidation of CGHS plastic cards; and

(e) the corrective measures taken/ being taken by the Government in this regard and to check the losses incurred in every five years for revalidation of CGHS plastic cards?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an Office Memorandum No. Z-15025/11/2015-DIR/CGHS dated 10.7.2015 requesting the CGHS beneficiaries for linking their Aadhaar Numbers with the CGHS database.

(b): The earlier CGHS cards in paper forms used to be revised once in 10 years with different CGHS number in respect of Serving CGHS beneficiaries as well as Pensioner CGHS beneficiaries. From 2011 onwards, CGHS plastic cards are issued for life time for pensioner CGHS beneficiaries holding life time CGHS cards. Serving employees are issued plastic cards with a validity of 5 Years.

(c): Serving employees are transferred some times to non-CGHS covered areas making them ineligible for CGHS facilities.

(d): It is not possible to quantify the expenditure, in view of transfer/ superannuation and decrease in number of dependents over a period of time.

(e): There is an option for self printing of CGHS card by beneficiaries available since March 2016, which does not involve any expenditure by the Government.