Rajasthan residents availing CM health scheme to get free treatment at 30,000 facilities outside state

Jaipur, Jan 3 (PTI) Residents of Rajasthan who are covered under the Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya (MAA) scheme can now avail free and cashless treatment across the country, with over 30,000 hospitals in other states brought under the scope of the initiative, officials said on Saturday.

The expansion follows the rollout of interstate portability under the scheme from December 19, enabling eligible families from Rajasthan to seek treatment outside the state, including leading government and private hospitals, they added.

Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said the MAA scheme, integrated with the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), has emerged as a comprehensive health security cover for crores of families.

"The scheme now guarantees free and cashless treatment not only within Rajasthan, but also across the country," he said.

Chief Secretary Gayatri Rathore said the decision would significantly benefit patients suffering from serious ailments who earlier had to bear heavy expenses for treatment in cities like Delhi and Gujarat. Under the new arrangement, eligible families can avail treatment worth up to Rs 25 lakh in empanelled hospitals outside the state.

Officials said around 16,000 government and 14,000 private hospitals across the country -- excluding Tamil Nadu and Karnataka -- have been empanelled. These include premier institutions such as AIIMS Delhi and Bhopal, Medanta, PGI Chandigarh, and several leading cancer and cardiology centres.

Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency CEO Harjilal Atal said about 350 patients have already availed treatment outside the state since the rollout.

Over the past two years, more than 37 lakh patients have received cashless treatment worth over Rs 7,100 crore under the scheme, he added. PTI AG ARB ARB