Now, cashless care up to Rs 1.5 lakh for road accident victims

 

 

 

 

In a significant policy intervention aimed at saving lives in the golden hour, the Chhattisgarh Directorate of Health Services, through its State Nodal Agency, has formally rolled out the Cashless Treatment Scheme, 2025 for road accident victims.

 

As per Gazette registration (CG-DL-E-05052025-262912), this scheme mandates that victims of road accidents are eligible for free emergency care up to Rs 1.5 lakh or for a maximum of seven days, whichever is earlier. In compliance with the directives of the Inter-Departmental Lead Agency (Road Safety) under thes Police Headquarters, Nava Raipur, letters were dispatched to all District Collectors, Chief Medical and Health Officers (CMHOs), and Superintendents of Police, instructing time-bound implementation. The circular underscores that only Ayushman Bharat empanelled hospitals are authorised under this scheme.

 

These institutions must be equipped to offer trauma and poly-trauma care, with multi-specialist availability under a single roof. Citing the high likelihood of head injuries and complex fractures in road crash cases, the directive urges CMHOs to identify capable facilities within their districts for uninterrupted service delivery. Further, under Rule 3.2 and 3.3 of the Gazette notification, initial clinics must stabilise patients before referral and ensure the treating physician maintains medical continuity with the receiving hospital. Any violation of licensing or treatment obligations under this Act invites a fine of Rs 20,000, as per Chapter 3(A)(1). The department confirmed that detailed operational guidelines would follow separately to assist field-level implementation.