Cashless Treatment Scheme: Every year, approximately 150,000 people die in road accidents in India. Many of these deaths are due to a lack of medical treatment. If timely treatment is provided, hundreds of lives could be saved. A major problem in treatment is money. Treatment requires significant funds, and sometimes relatives are not available, and even if they are, they lack the necessary funds. The central government is working to address these problems.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon launch a revolutionary “Cashless Treatment Scheme” for road accident victims. This scheme, launched by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, aims to save lives during the “golden hour” (the first hour after an accident). On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport launched a pilot project in Chandigarh to provide cashless treatment to road accident victims. This project was later expanded to six states. Experts believe this scheme could reduce these deaths by 30% to 50%.
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Free treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh
Under this scheme, each road accident victim will receive cashless treatment up to a maximum of Rs 1.50 lakh. This facility will be valid for a maximum of seven days from the time of the accident. Any Indian citizen (whether or not they have other insurance) and foreign tourists are eligible for this scheme.
According to medical professionals, the first hour following an accident is referred to as the ‘Golden Hour,’ which is vital for receiving treatment. The primary aim of this initiative is to make sure that treatment isn’t postponed due to financial issues or paperwork. Victims can be taken to any local hospital (whether government or private) that is part of this program.
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Hospitals will receive direct payments from the government. A special fund for road accidents has been established, supported by insurance companies and other funding sources.
How it works?
An IT platform has been set up for this initiative:
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In the event of an accident, hospital or ambulance staff will input the details on the portal.
The police and health department will quickly verify the accident digitally.
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The hospital will begin treatment right away without requiring any upfront payment.
The government will transfer the treatment costs directly to the hospital’s account.
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How to View a List of Hospitals?
Finding a list of hospitals that are part of this new cashless initiative (known as the Road Accident Victim Cashless Treatment Scheme) is pretty straightforward. Since this scheme operates through the Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) network, you can access the same portals.
Via the official Ayushman Bharat website:
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Log in to hospitals.pmjay.gov.in.
Choose your ‘State’ and ‘District.’
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In ‘Hospital Type,’ you can select either Public or Private.
Fill in the captcha code and hit ‘Search.’ You’ll see a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the hospitals in your vicinity.
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Through the Ayushman App
Launch the app and select the ‘Find Hospital’ option.
Enable your location (GPS) or manually enter your pin code.
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The app will display the closest hospital to your residence that offers cashless treatment in case of an accident.
Toll-free helpline numbers
14555: This is the national helpline for Ayushman Bharat.
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1033: This is the helpline from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, specifically for road accidents and for information about the nearest trauma center along the highway.