Chief Minister’s Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme

Why was the Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme Introduced

Before the introduction of the Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme, many families in Arunachal Pradesh used to face severe out-of-pocket expenses for cancer treatment, making essential treatment hard to afford. Even though national health programs benefit some low-income families, many people still are not covered with financial support for high-cost diseases like cancer.

To address this gap, the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, launched the Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme to make cancer care accessible and affordable. The scheme provides free, essential chemotherapy medicines up to ₹10 lakh per patient per year (capped at ₹5 lakh every six months ), so they can get life-saving treatment without a heavy financial burden.

Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme - Key Highlights

Who is Eligible for the Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme

The main eligible categories are those who are covered under the Chief Minister's Cancer Chemotherapy Free Scheme (CMFCCS):

• The regular state government employees of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The dependents of the regular state government employees.
• Members of Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes (APST) or Permanent residents of the State.

Who is not Eligible for the Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme

• Patients coming from other centres than TRIHMS, Naharlagun, for their chemotherapy under the particular scheme.
• Patients with treatment costs exceeding the annual ceiling of the particular scheme per patient.

What the Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme Covers

The Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme (CMFCCS) provides essential financial and medical coverage for cancer patients:

• Chemotherapy Medicines: Provides free, commonly used chemotherapy medicines worth up to ₹10 lakh per person per year (maximum amount ₹5 lakh per 6 months). Medicines are procured at concessional rates through a partnership with Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.
• Cancer Stages & Types Covered: Covers chemotherapy for all types of cancer at any stage.
• Consultation Services: Includes free specialist medical consultations.
• Counselling Support: Offers free patient counselling throughout the treatment period.
• Duration of Cover: Benefits remain available throughout the entire duration of the patient's treatment.
• Where to Access: Facilities can be accessed directly through State Tertiary Cancer Centres in Arunachal Pradesh by connecting with the scheme's Nodal Officer.

Documents Required to Apply for Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme (CMFCCS)

• Arunachal Pradesh ST Certificate: Proves that an individual is an indigenous or permanent resident of the state.
• Identity/Age Proof & Address Proof: Aadhaar Card, Election ID Card, or any other government-issued photo ID.
• Proof of Employment (Government Servants and Dependents): Government Servant ID Card, Service Certificate, and Dependency Certificate for the government servants' quota.
• Medical/Clinical Certificate: Medical diagnosis report, prescription from a physician, and plan of the course of treatment with the confirmation of cancer and chemotherapy required.
• Passport Size Photographs: Passport-size photographs of the patient.

How to Apply Step by Step for Chief Minister's Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme (CMFCCS)

Step 1: Medical Diagnosis & Treatment Plan

Seek consultation from an oncologist or treating doctor from a reputable hospital to get a medical diagnosis report, histopathology/pathology results, and a chemotherapy prescription/protocol.

Step 2: Documents Requirement

Collect all relevant documents

• Proof of Residency: APST Certificate or PRC.
• Proof of Identity: Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, or any government-issued photo ID.
• Proof of Employment (if applicable): Service ID or dependency certificate for applicants under the Regular State Government Employee category.
• Medical Document: Prescription from a doctor, test results, and clinical information on the proposed chemotherapy treatment.
• Photo: Recent passport-size photograph of the patient.

Step 3: Visit a Designated Tertiary Healthcare Centre

Visit a designated Tertiary Cancer Centre in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, such as the State Cancer Institute at TRIHMS, Naharlagun.

Step 4: Approach the CMFCCS Nodal Officer

Visit the specific CMFCCS desk/nodal officer in the hospital premises. Get the scheme application form, fill in the required details and attach all copies of relevant documents.

Step 5: Application Verification & Registration

The Nodal Officer then verifies your documents and confirms availability within the annual limit (1,000 beneficiaries per year). Once approved, the patient is officially registered under the scheme.

Step 6: Receive Free Chemotherapy Medicines

• Submit your registration card/slip to the hospital pharmacy/store as applicable.
• Chemotherapy drugs procured under the state's agreement with Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, will be provided free of cost until the limit of ₹10 lakh is reached annually.

Support and Contact Information

Other Government Schemes

• Atal Amrit Abhiyan: Government-funded healthcare program of Assam, which gives cashless coverage of up to ₹2 lakh per family per year for critical illnesses.
• Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP): Health Insurance Program of Kerala offering cashless cover for hospitalisation of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary health services for poor and vulnerable families.
• Cancer Suraksha Scheme: Government welfare scheme of the state of Kerala, which gives free treatment of cancer for children under 18 years old who belong to BPL families.
• Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY): The national health insurance scheme of India that covers up to ₹5 lakh per family per year.