A Complete Guide to Government Schemes for Cancer Patients in Karnataka

In the event of a medical emergency, the government can provide support in the form of financial assistance or other schemes

A cancer diagnosis can be a life-altering event that comes with a host of overwhelming emotional, mental, and financial challenges. Patients and their families are often concerned about treatment costs, which can be difficult to manage due to the complexities of medical bills and insurance policies. In times of medical crises, the government has programs in place to help cover the costs of necessary care.

Here are 6 government schemes offered by the state of Karnataka to provide treatment aid to cancer patients:

1. Karnataka Chief Minister’s Medical Relief Fund (KCMMRF)

The KCMMRF grants financial assistance to patients below poverty line suffering from life-threatening ailments to receive treatment in any of the enlisted government hospitals, or non-enlisted hospitals of national repute in the state of Karnataka.

KCMMRF runs on public contributions and does not receive any budgetary support
Patients are entitled to receive a maximum of INR 1 lakh for cancer treatment
Funds are allocated on the approval of the Chief Minister
A patient can apply for financial assistance for relief before treatment, or relief after treatment
To apply, the applicant will be required to produce a duly completed and signed application form, passport-size photo of patient, BPL card, EPIC and Aadhar card, original final hospital bill and discharge summary or estimation summary
A patient is not eligible for financial assistance under KCMMRF, if:
Their family is covered under Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESI), Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) or any similar existing health-related scheme with provisions for reimbursements
The disease is of common nature with inexpensive treatments

2. Ayushman Bharat – Arogya Karnataka Scheme (AB-ARK)

AB-ARK extends financial protection to patients living below poverty line that suffer from critical illnesses, to access primary, specified secondary and tertiary healthcare benefits at any of the enlisted hospitals within the state of Karnataka.

Patients are classified as ‘Eligible Patients’ and ‘General Patients’ as defined under the National Food Security Act, 2013
Eligible Patients are entitled to receive family-floater coverage of up to INR 5 lakhs, per year for cancer treatment, while General Patients are entitled to receive coverage of up to INR 1.5 lakh per year, on a co-payment basis
To apply, the applicant will be required to produce their Aadhar card and ration card
A patient is not eligible for financial assistance under AB-ARK, if
They are covered under Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESI) and Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
They are covered under the health insurance schemes of their employers
They have taken private health policies on their own

3. Vajpayee Arogya Shree (VA)

The VA insurance scheme was designed for patients below the poverty line suffering from critical illnesses, to increase their access to quality tertiary health care including hospitalisation, therapy and surgery.

All costs are incurred by the state government
People of all ages are eligible to apply for this scheme
Provides family-floater coverage, i.e 5 members in a family can receive up to a sum of INR 1.5 lakh annually for cancer treatment, on exhaustion of which, a further INR 50,000 is provided
To apply, the applicant will be required to produce a self-declaration form, along with their Aadhar card, BPL card and PDS card

4. Rajiv Arogya Bhagya (RAB)

RAB is a state-sponsored health insurance scheme for patients living above poverty line and suffering from life-threatening conditions, to avail affordable and accessible tertiary treatment.

Patient must be a legal resident of the State of Karnataka
Patients can avail medical treatment at government and private hospitals
As there is no predetermined income bar, both APL and BPL patients can apply for this scheme
Patients who fall under Category A, i.e farmers labourers of unorganised sector, deprived households, SC/ST people, government employees, members of cooperatives societies, media persons and representatives, need not pay a premium
Whereas patients not included in Category A fall under Category B and have to pay a premium of INR 300, if hailing from rural areas, and INR 700 if failing from urban areas
Category A patients can avail cashless treatment, while Category B patients can claim 30% reimbursement from the government
To apply, the applicant will be required to produce ID proof, ration card, Aadhar card, PDS card and residential proof

5. Jyothi Sanjeevini Scheme (JSS)

JSS is an insurance plan implemented by the Government of Karnataka that offers cashless medical aid to employees of the state government and their families, at any of the empanelled hospitals.

Any Karnataka state government employee and their family is qualified to apply for the scheme
The scheme provides an annual cover of INR 1.5L per year for serious illnesses requiring tertiary treatments
The government employee has to manage 30% of the final medical charges carried out in the general ward, while the government takes care of the remaining 70%
The government covers 50% of the final medical charges carried out in a super-speciality ward
To apply, the applicant will be required to produce a declaration form with details of the family members’ income certificate, passport-size photograph, ration card, Aadhar card, and residential certificate.
A patient is not eligible for financial assistance under JSS if they are in any other government health insurance scheme in India

6. Health Minister’s Cancer Patients Fund (HMCPF)

The Health Minister’s Cancer Patients Fund, a component of the umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), provides financial assistance to patients below poverty line suffering from cancer and undergoing treatment at Karnataka’s Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology Cancer Research and Training Centre.

Each cancer patient can receive a one-time grant of INR 2 lakh, up to INR 5 lakh depending on urgency
There is no reimbursement for expenses already incurred
To apply, the applicant will be required to produce a duly completed and signed application form, copy of income certificate and copy of ration card
A patient is not eligible for financial assistance under HMCPF, if:
Their family is covered under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)
They or their family member is a government servant
They are receiving treatment in a private hospital

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