The current state government has extended benefits worth approximately ₹810 crore to over 5.80 lakh beneficiaries in Himachal Pradesh under the HIMCARE scheme since assuming office in December 2022.
With a focus on further strengthening the HIMCARE scheme and streamlining the process of issuing HIMCARE cards, the state government has decided that these cards will now be issued on a quarterly basis every year. Each card will be valid for one year, and the portal for applying will open once every three months. Specifically, the portal will remain open during March, June, September, and December each year for each quarter safely.
A spokesperson from the Health Department stated that the new policy will take effect after July 2025, and the portal is currently open for registration this month. Starting after July, the portal will open on the 1st of March, June, September, and December, and will remain open for the entire month. However, beneficiaries will be allowed to renew HIMCARE cards at any time during the year. If a beneficiary fails to renew their card before expiry, it can only be renewed during the designated quarterly windows as per the new policy.
The spokesperson added that this decision aims to ensure the selection of eligible beneficiaries and encourage timely renewals, allowing people to continue receiving seamless, free of cost, and quality healthcare services.
The HIMCARE card is issued free of cost to various groups, including BPL families, MGNREGA workers, street vendors, orphans, and prison inmates. A nominal fee of ₹365 is charged for single women, contract and outsourced employees, persons with 40 per cent or more disability, midday meal workers, part-time workers, and daily wagers. A fee of ₹1,000 applies to all other eligible groups.
Currently, there are 5.26 lakh HIMCARE cardholder families in the state. Each card can cover up to five members of a family. The scheme offers free treatment for a total of 3,227 diseases.
A total of 136 government health institutions across the state, along with PGI Chandigarh, Government Medical College and Hospital Chandigarh, and the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (Tata Memorial Center), New Chandigarh, are providing free treatment to HIMCARE beneficiaries.
Additionally, dialysis services are being offered free of cost in all private institutions functioning in the state under the HIMCARE scheme.
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