How to Raise Money for Medical Treatment in India?
Families in India can fund medical treatment through four main routes: government schemes, NGOs, medical loans, and online crowdfunding. Government schemes such as PM-JAY and RAN provide income-based financial assistance, while NGOs support verified medical cases through grants and donation drives.
Hospitals also offer medical loans, often with quick disbursal and no-cost EMI options. Online crowdfunding platforms like Milaap help families raise voluntary donations from a wider network, with 0% platform fees. The right approach depends on the treatment cost, urgency, and eligibility, and families can often combine multiple sources.
Government Schemes
In India, the government provides medical aids for economically backward people through various schemes.
Ayushman Bharath - PM JAY
Ayushman Bharath Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is one such flagship scheme that provides up to 5 lakhs per eligible family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. The eligibility criteria are determined based on SECC data and BPL card; it is also accessible to individuals who are 70+ years of age, irrespective of their family income.
Rastriya Arogya Nidhi
Rastriya Arogya Nidhi provides one time financial assistance of up to 15 lakhs for treatment for economically weak patients who are suffering from life-threatening medical conditions at government hospitals which have super speciality facilities.
Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant
Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant provides financial assistance of up to 1.25 lakhs for people who are earning up to 1.25 lakhs annually. It covers a part of treatment expenses at Government hospitals for patients who are suffering from life-threatening diseases.
State Illness Assistance Funds
State Illness Assistance Funds provide 1.5 to 5 lakhs depending on the state. The criteria is defined based on state defined BPL citizens. SIAF is strictly reserved for cancer and specific life-threatening diseases only that require super speciality facilities.
NGOs
NGOs provide financial assistance in 2 ways:
- Pre-collected Funds: Some NGOs utilize pre-collected donations to fund the medical help requested after thoroughly checking and confirming the case.
- Campaign based Crowdfunding: Some NGOs conduct charity drives to collect the required funds after checking and confirming the case.
Hospital-tied Medical Loans
Hospital-tied medical loans are facilitated through partner banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFC), and other healthcare financial platforms. It provides point-of-care assistance, meaning you can apply for a loan at the hospital billing or admission section. The hospital-tied financial partner reviews the profile and disburses the funds to the hospital account quickly. Some hospital tie-ups provide no cost EMI facility as well, easing the financial burden of the family.
Online Medical Crowdfunding
Medical crowdfunding facilitates fundraising through setting up campaigns and sharing the medical story online. People whose expenses are not fully covered by insurance and other schemes can seek help through medical crowdfunding. There are many dedicated fundraising websites online that help set-up campaigns for this purpose.
Trust is the main element. Unlike random, unverified Whatsapp messages, websites verify campaigns for their authenticity. If the provided documents are fake, the campaigns will not be taken forward. The second element is access; websites enable a seamless process where funds can be transferred easily. But Whatsapp campaigns can sometimes result in frozen bank accounts.
Once the verification is done, the campaign is shared across networks, and funds are collected from voluntary donors. Some platforms disburse the collected funds directly to the hospital account and some disburse it to the beneficiary’s account. While many platforms charge fees for the campaigns, some platforms do it for 0% fee, one such trusted platform is Milaap.
What is Milaap?
Milaap is an online medical crowdfunding platform that helps raise funds for medical emergencies. With over 16 years of experience and millions of trusted families, Milaap is one of the most trusted platforms for crowdfunding in India. It helps raise funds safely and quickly. Milaap is trusted for its transparency, verified campaigns, and real human support.
To maintain integrity, Milaap uses a strict verification process. As Mr. Sampath Shetty says “Our team directly calls the hospital, and verifies the identity mentioned in the uploaded document.” Only after this confirmation does the process move forward.
Milaap ensures complete transparency by providing full access to funding data to both donors and campaigners. Mr. Sampath also says “Funds can be transferred only after the bills are submitted… [but] initially if they want to transfer [funds] they must submit an estimation letter.”
The stories are told with sensitivity, upholding the dignity of the patients and their families. Funds are collected through voluntary donations, rather than inducing guilt or shame in donors. Milaap envisions making online donations the most trusted way to help those in need.
Conclusion
Medical emergencies can arise unexpectedly and can place a significant financial burden on families. Fortunately, India provides multiple options to raise funds, including Government schemes, NGOs, Hospital-tied loans, and Medical Crowding. Each option comes with its own benefits and eligibility criteria. Being aware of them beforehand, helps families to make quick and informed decisions and focus on what truly matters, rather than worrying about time or money. Life is unpredictable and being prepared always gives us the upper hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can seek financial help through government health schemes, NGOs, hospital-tied medical loans, and online medical crowdfunding. Depending on your eligibility and funding gap, you can also combine multiple options.
Eligible patients may receive financial assistance through schemes such as Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant, and State Illness Assistance Funds.
Medical crowdfunding involves creating an online campaign, sharing the patient’s medical story and documents, completing verification, and receiving voluntary donations from people who support the campaign.
Yes. Families can create medical crowdfunding campaigns to seek donations when insurance, government schemes, or personal funds do not fully cover treatment expenses.
Major options mentioned in the article include Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant, and State Illness Assistance Funds. Eligibility and assistance vary by scheme.
Some hospitals have partnerships with banks, NBFCs, and healthcare finance providers that allow patients to apply for loans at the hospital. Some partnerships may also offer no-cost EMI options.
The amount depends on the scheme or funding method. Government assistance discussed in the article ranges from ₹1.25 lakh to ₹15 lakh, while loans and crowdfunding depend on individual eligibility and fundraising needs.
There is no single option that works for every family. Depending on eligibility and urgency, families can combine government assistance, NGO support, hospital loans, and medical crowdfunding to meet their treatment expenses.
