ECHS- Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Key Highlights of Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)

Why Was ECHS Introduced

Prior to ECHS, veterans had no choice but to seek treatment at Military Hospitals, facilities built specifically for the benefit of serving military personnel. With the growing population of veterans and increasing complexity of their medical requirements due to aging, Military Hospitals began to experience overcapacity, and the accessibility factor became a problem for those residing away from cantonment areas.

ECHS has provided the much-needed relief in the form of a health insurance framework built around polyclinics and empanelment of civil hospitals across the country to ensure that quality healthcare reaches all ESMs irrespective of their retirement destination. The rationale behind this system is quite simple, responsibility towards soldiers does not end on their discharge from service. There are more than 5 lakhs ESM enrolled in ECHS as per MoD Annual Report.

ECHS Eligibility- Who Can Apply

The following categories are included in ECHS (Ministry of Defence, echs.gov.in):

• All Ex-Servicemen (ESM) who have retired from their service from 1st January 1996 onwards.
• ESM took early retirement on condition.
• Spouses, dependent children and dependent parents are considered dependents of the ESM.
• The orphans of War, their dependents.
• ESM was not so lucky when they were invalidated due to medical reasons.

Who is NOT allowed:

• Retired from ESM before 1st January 1996 (unless amended).
• When there are dependents who are not on the ECHS smart card.
• This is for civilian government employees, ECHS is only for defence employees.

How to Apply for Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

To apply for ECHS, refer to the following steps:

• Online Registration:
• Go to the official website: echs.gov.in.
• Click on enrollment and enter personal and service information.
• Upload documents that are required such as discharge certificate, PPO, Aadhaar etc.
• Fill out and print the application and keep the acknowledgment number for records.

Offline Registration:

• Go and visit the local station headquarters or Record Office of the ECHS.
• Complete the application form and send it along with the documents.
• Biometric data and photographs are taken upon enrollment.
• This Smart Card is issued after verification.

It is also advisable for ESMs to register their ABHA ID Card (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) in their ECHS accounts. The ABHA ID card provides a unique health ID through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), allowing for seamless access to all digital health records from all health care facilities, ECHS polyclinics, panel hospitals, and even other public and private healthcare facilities. The ABHA registration can be done for free through abdm.gov.in and through the Ayushman App.

Documents Required for Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Keep the following ready before visiting the enrollment centre:

• Discharge Certificate or Release Order.
• Pension Payment Order (PPO).
• Aadhaar card, for identity verification and ABHA linkage.
• Service documents confirming rank and retirement date.
• Recent passport-size photographs of ESM and all dependants.
• Proof of dependency for family members.
• Mobile number for OTP and card updates.

ECHS Smart Card- Download and Activation

The ECHS Smart Card is the main source of cashless treatment facilities. The ECHS Smart Card contains the photograph of the beneficiary, a unique card number, and details about dependants.

• Go to echs.gov.in website and login using your registered login credentials.
• Go to the Card Status/Download option.
• Provide your ECHS card number/Aadhar number.
• Authenticate and download/check the card status.

In case, the ESM has also registered themselves under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana (AB PM-JAY), then he/she may download the separate PMJAY card from the Ayushman App/pmjay.gov.in. In this way, the beneficiary will get a unified digital health ID by linking the ABHA card to both the ECHS and PM-JAY cards.

What Does ECHS Cover

In the case of treatment costs above ECHS limit or where treatment is not covered by the scheme, the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) offers a one-time financial aid of up to ₹15 lakhs in super specialty government hospitals, an invaluable support mechanism for ESM suffering from severe health expenditure problems.

Families of ESM suffering from Autism, Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Disabilities may also opt for the Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme, a health insurance plan specially designed for disabilities along with ECHS benefits.

Those TB patients among ESM undergoing treatment by means of ECHS scheme may also get an additional ₹1,000 per month through Nikshay Poshan Yojana.

How the Claim Process Under ECHS Works

ECHS follows a cashless system in empanelled hospitals:

• Get admitted in the nearest ECHS polyclinic along with your ECHS Smart Card and Aadhaar for OPD treatment.
• In case of getting specialist treatment, get a referral letter from the polyclinic to the empanelled hospital.
• Handover your ECHS Card at the reception desk of the empanelled hospital for authentication.
• No money is paid upfront; ECHS settles the bill with the hospital directly.
• In case of emergencies, you can be treated in any empanelled hospital without referral.
• Once you get treated, the information will be updated in ECHS system.

In case of ESM who have also enrolled in Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY (PMJAY) card scheme, please note that ECHS is the primary scheme and PMJAY is the supplementary scheme wherever applicable, especially for families of ESM who are eligible under both schemes.

ECHS and State Health Schemes- What ESM Families Should Know

While ECHS covers the retired ESM and their immediate dependents, other family members who do not qualify under ECHS may benefit from state-level health schemes depending on their state of residence. Some relevant parallel options include:

Atal Amrit Abhiyan in Assam covers BPL and APL families for six high-cost disease groups at zero or minimal premium. Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) in Odisha provides up to ₹6 lakh per family for urban households. Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) in Tamil Nadu covers low-income families up to ₹5 lakh. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) in Maharashtra and Swasthya Sathi Scheme in West Bengal offer similar state-level cashless coverage for eligible families. Children in institutional care under Mission Vatsalya can also access hospitalisation benefits at empanelled facilities in their respective states.

ECHS Helpline and Support

ECHS remains the most organized veterans' healthcare program in India, 426+ Polyclinics, a nationwide network of hospitals that have been empanelled, and a single contribution model offering lifetime healthcare benefits to those who have served the country. Connecting your ECHS data to your ABHA card under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will make sure that your health data is available to all facilities, while integration of Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PM-JAY) will provide another level of coverage wherever applicable. In case of ESM family members who do not come under the coverage of ECHS, programs like Atal Amrit Abhiyan, GJAY, CMCHIS, and Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi will ensure that your entire family is covered.