Road accident treatment up to Rs 2.5 lakh/case to be cashless soon: Govt

The government plans to launch a cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims with a cap of Rs 250,000 per case.

The scheme assumes significance as India accounts for about 500,000 road accidents per annum, one of the highest globally, in which about 150,000 people are killed and about 300,000 are crippled.

For the cashless scheme for road accident victims, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will set up a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund under it, a communication to transport secretaries and commissioners of the states said on Tuesday.

NHA's (National Health Authority) robust IT platforms which are used for implementing AB-PM JAY (Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) may be leveraged to provide cashless treatment for road accident victims for treatment including the golden hour (first hour of the accident), the communication said.

"All road accident victims of Indian or foreign nationality will be considered eligible for the scheme as its beneficiary. The scheme will have a cap of Rs 250,000/person/accident," as per the communication.

Trauma and healthcare services to road accident victim will be financed through an account which will be established under the MoRTH for the implementation of the scheme, it said.

"The funds will have contributions from the insurance companies through general insurance council for ensured vehicles and for hit-and-run-cases," it said and added that the ministry will pay for the accidents for uninsured vehicles.

Besides, the vehicle owners will be liable to pay the cost of treatment as a part of compensation in case of uninsured vehicles.

As many as 32 of 36 states/union territories are implementing PMJAY and the scheme provides benefits to about 130 million families.

Under the scheme, victims will be provided access to cashless trauma care treatment at the nearest appropriate hospital in the country, as per the communication.

"Hospitals have to ensure provision of stabilisation in case they refer the patient to an empaneled PMJAY hospital where the complete treatment may be provided," it said.