PM-JAY extended: New proposal for central govt pensioners to offer scheme option for CGHS beneficiaries: Report

A new proposal for central government pensioners, under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), will likely offer the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) scheme as an additional option, reported the news portal Financial Express on Saturday, September 28.

According to the report, Shiva Gopal Mishra, secretary of the National Council (Staff Side) Joint Consultative Machinery for Central Government Employees, formally proposed this to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This came after the centre extended the PM-JAY benefits also to senior citizens aged 70 and above who benefitted from other public health insurance schemes like CGHS and ECHS. This move aims to benefit nearly 6 crore senior citizens, giving them a distinct card as well as additional coverage options for current beneficiaries, as per the report.

The beneficiaries have to choose between their existing benefits or the PM-JAY one. Senior citizens with private health insurance or those falling under the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) will also be eligible for the benefits of the PM-JAY scheme, according to the news portal.

The amount of contribution based on the seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC) pay matrix is ₹30,000 for levels one to five, ₹78,000 for levels seven to 11, and ₹1,20,000 for levels 12 and above, according to the report.

Mishra’s letter highlights

Mishra’s proposal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi also cited the financial burden that retiring employees face when they are required to make a one-time big contribution to avail of the CGHS benefits after their retirement, stated the news portal.

Mishra put forward the argument of it being unfair to make the senior citizen to choose between the CGHS and AB PM-JAY, especially as PM-JAY was created to assist the senior citizens irrespective of their financial circumstances, according to the news portal.

Mishra’s letter requests the Government of India to reconsider its decision. He has also urged for a meeting with the Staff Side of the National Council JCM to discuss the matter further and arrive at a favourable resolution for the senior citizens who are part of CGHS and ECHS, as per the report.