Among the plethora of problems that arise after a cancer diagnosis, financial instability can truly occupy a major chunk of a person’s fears and worries. After all, treatment for this deadly disease can set families financially back, and it can be highly difficult to get over this financial strain. Health insurance also does not always cover the cost for the entirety of the treatment, and in a country like India where most people don’t have access to health insurance, availing treatment for this disease can feel like a massive burden to bear. Although cancer can bring great financial stress to a family, it is important to remember that there are plenty of options still available through which a person can receive not only the highest quality of treatment but that too at minimal costs. This article will list down the sources through which a patient can receive high quality cancer treatments while ensuring, at the same time, that they don’t suffer any financial strain.
Government Schemes and Programs
The Government of India offers various schemes and programmes for its citizens, using which people can fund their treatments. Some of these schemes include:
Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund
Offered by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund has been set up to provide financial assistance for treatment of cancer. Under this scheme, financial assistance for treatment against cancer is provided in 27 regional centers across the country. Some of the regional centers that come under this scheme include –
- Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
- Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Indian Rotary Cancer Institute (AIIMS), New Delhi, Delhi.
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, Punjab/Haryana.
- Regional Cancer Institute (WAI), Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- Regional Cancer Control Society, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
To apply for financial assistance under this scheme, follow the given steps –
- Fill out the application form and have it signed by the treating doctor and countersigned by the Medical Superintendent of the government hospital/institute.
- Provide a copy of your income certificate.
- Provide a copy of your ration card.
For further information, visit the guidelines for availing of the benefits of this scheme.
The Health Minister’s Discretionary Grants
The HMDG offers maximum assistance of up to Rs. 50,000 in cases where free medical facilities are not available at government hospitals. Families who have an annual income up to Rs. 1,25,000 are eligible for assistance under this scheme of up to 70% of the total bill.
To apply for financial assistance under this scheme, follow the given steps –
- Fill out the application form and have it signed by the treating doctor and countersigned by the medical superintendent of the government hospital/institute.
- Provide a copy of your income certificate.
- Provide a copy of your ration card.
For further information, go through the eligibility criteria on their website.
Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
This scheme is only applicable for current and former central government employees and their dependents. This scheme offers treatment for cancer at approved rates from any hospital, apart from the hospitals set up under the CGHS.
The people who are eligible for treatment under such a scheme include –
- All central government employees and their dependent family members.
- Central government pensioners and family pensioners.
- Sitting and former members of the Parliament.
- Freedom Fighters.
- Sitting and retired judges of the Supreme Court.
For more information, visit the CGHS website.
National Health Protection Scheme
An initiative under the Ayushman Bharat programme, the National Health Protection Scheme offers assistance of up to Rs. 5,00,000 per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization care. The primary aim of the scheme is to increase access to quality health care and medication. For further information on how one can avail of the benefits offered by this scheme, visit their website.
The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund
Initially intended to provide assistance to victims of natural calamities, the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund partially assists people with heart surgeries, kidney transplants, and cancer treatments. Some of the documents that you would have to submit to avail yourself of the benefits of this scheme include 2 passport size photographs of the beneficiary, a copy of a residence proof, a medical diagnosis with an approximate estimate of the total expense to be incurred for the treatment, and a copy of an income certificate. For further information, visit their website to understand the eligibility criteria under this scheme.
State Illness Assistance Fund
Various states across the country have set up illness assistance funds and offer coverage up to Rs. 1,00,000 for cancer treatments at the government hospitals within the state. While not all the states offer such assistance, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Goa, Gujarat, Sikkim, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, UP, NCT of Delhi, and Puducherry do support it.
To avail yourself of the benefits of this scheme, first check whether your state falls under it or not. Submit the application form, and along with it, submit 2 passport size photographs of the beneficiary and a copy of your BPL card at the local government hospital.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding has become a popular means through which people have accumulated funds for their cancer treatments. Various online platforms, such as Ketto, Impact Guru, and Milaap, have assisted numerous people to create campaigns and reach a much wider audience in order to raise funds. These platforms usually keep a certain percentage of the raised funds as their fee while the rest of the funds are available at your disposal. This tool can be extremely powerful and can help a person raise funds quickly. Along with this, the people who donate also usually send in words of encouragement, which can also be highly helpful in raising a person’s spirits.
Final Note
Patients in India have numerous options through which they can avail financial assistance for their treatments. Patients can seek help through the various government schemes and programmes and through various non-profit organizations that aim at providing quality treatment against cancer. Along with this if a person needs to raise funds in a quick period of time then crowdfunding can be a good option for them.
