The Centre government on Tuesday notified a scheme offering cashless treatment for road accident victims nationwide, news agency PTI reported. The Ministry of Road Transport, Highways, and Shipping has issued a notification regarding this initiative. Under this scheme, accident victims across the country will be eligible to receive cashless treatment at any recognized hospital, up to a limit of ₹1.5 lakh. The treatment coverage will be applicable for up to seven days from the date of the accident. The scheme officially came into effect on Monday, May 5, 2025. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced this scheme earlier in January 2025, mentioning that the government would be implementing an improved version of the existing support system for accident victims.
Key Highlights of the Scheme:
Coverage: Accident victims can avail up to ₹1.5 lakh worth of free treatment at any empanelled hospital in India.
Eligibility Duration: The scheme covers treatment expenses for up to 7 days from the date of the accident.
Start Date: The scheme is effective from May 5, 2025.
Three-Step Process to Avail Benefits:
Immediate Admission: After an accident, the victim must be admitted to a hospital immediately. The central government will release a list of authorized hospitals.
Police Notification: Within 24 hours, the police must be informed of the accident. Details such as the nature of the accident and the victim’s medical condition must be shared.
Document Submission: A case file for the victim must be prepared, including the police report and the victim's identification documents. Once this process is completed, the victim will be eligible for cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh.
Treatment Coverage:
No upfront payment is required at the time of admission.
Free primary medical care will be provided.
Surgical procedures for serious injuries will be included.Facilities such as X-ray, CT Scan, and MRI will be free of cost.
Medicines administered during treatment will also be provided at no charge.State-Level Parallel:
Before the central government launched this scheme, the Maharashtra government had already introduced a similar plan, offering cashless treatment up to ₹1 lakh for road accident victims within the state.