Cards to be made on quarterly basis
Over 5.80 lakh benefitted under HIMCARE
The state government has extended benefits of approximately Rs. 810 crore to over 5.80 lakh beneficiaries of Himachal Pradesh under the HIMCARE scheme since it came to power in December, 2022. With the focus on further strengthening the HIMCARE scheme and streamlining the process of making HIMCARE cards, the state government has decided that these cards would be made on a quarterly basis every year. These cards would have a validity of one year and the portal for applying for the cards would be opened after every three months. The portal would remain open for a month in March, June, September and December every year for each quarter safely.
A spokesperson of the health department stated that the new decision would come into effect after July, 2025 and the portal is open for registration during this month. After July, the portal would be opened on 1st day of March, June, September and December and would remain open for the entire month. However, people could renew the HIMCARE cards throughout the year. If the beneficiary fails to renew cards on time as per the policy and their card expires, the expired cards would be renewed on a quarterly basis in March, June, September and December, as per the new policy.
The spokesperson said that the decision has been taken to ensure selection of eligible beneficiaries and ensure that people renew their cards on time to avail seamless, free of cost as well as quality health care facilities.
The HIMCARE card is made free of cost for various sections, including BPL, MGNREGA, street vendors, orphans and prison inmates. A nominal fee of Rs. 365 is charged for these cards from single women, contract and outsource employees, persons with 40 percent and above disability, mid day meal workers, part time workers and daily wagers. A fee of Rs. 1,000 is charged from the remaining eligible sections.
There are 5.26 lakh HIMCARE card holder families in the state and the card covers upto maximum of five members of a family under one card. A total of 3,227 diseases are covered for free treatment under the HIMCARE scheme. The State government's 136 health institutions in the state, along with PG1 Chandigarh. Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (Tata Memorial Center), New Chandigarh are providing free of cost treatment to the HIMCARE beneficiaries. Apart from this, dialysis services are being given free of cost under the HIMCARE scheme in all the private institutions functioning in the state.