Cashless Medical Scheme for Road Accident Victims Launched by Government
In a significant move to improve emergency care, the Government of India has launched a new cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, offering free medical treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued an official notification confirming that the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme – 2025 is effective immediately.
This central government scheme follows a Supreme Court judgment delivered in January, which emphasized the need to provide free treatment during the “Golden Hour”, the first hour after an accident. The court ordered that all road accident victims must receive immediate and cost-free medical care within this crucial time frame.
Scheme Benefits and Eligibility
Under this scheme, any person injured in a motor vehicle accident on any road in India is eligible for free and cashless medical services at authorized hospitals. Victims can avail of treatment costs up to ₹1.5 lakh for a period of up to seven days from the date of the accident.
The notification specifies that hospitals must begin treatment as soon as the victim arrives. If a hospital lacks the required infrastructure, the patient must be immediately transferred to another hospital equipped to handle such cases. The admitting hospital is responsible for arranging necessary transportation.
Inclusion of Hospitals with Trauma Care Facilities
The central government has advised all state governments to ensure that hospitals with trauma and polytrauma care capabilities are included under this initiative. This is aimed at ensuring prompt and high-quality treatment for road accident injuries, which often require specialized emergency services.
Billing and Payment Procedure
Upon the victim’s discharge, the hospital management must upload the bills for services rendered to the designated government health portal. Payments will be processed as per predefined package rates under the cashless claim settlement process.
Goal to Save Lives with Timely Treatment
Officials hope the implementation of the cashless accident treatment scheme will help save thousands of lives by delivering timely emergency care to those critically injured in road accidents.