The Tamil Nadu government announced a major expansion of the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), increasing annual coverage from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh per family. The five-fold increase—announced in the State Assembly by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay—is set to benefit approximately 1.45 crore families across the state.
Key Highlights & Changes
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Five-Fold Coverage Surge: Annual insurance cover rises to ₹25 lakh per family, allowing multiple family members with chronic or high-cost illnesses to seek simultaneous care without depleting funds.
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Expanded Specialized Care: Includes expanded coverage for high-end chemotherapy regimens, advanced organ transplants, and complex surgical procedures.
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Transgender Healthcare Access: Specialized medical and surgical procedures for transgender individuals will now be provided across 7 government medical college hospitals, including Stanley Medical College (Chennai), Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Chengalpet, Thiruvarur, Dharmapuri, and Kanyakumari.
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New Senior Citizen Scheme: Beneficiaries aged 70 and above (~38 lakh residents) will be transitioned out of the general pool into the dedicated Chief Minister’s Elderly Health Insurance Scheme, offering free, cashless treatment in coordination with Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.
Existing vs. Expanded Scheme Comparison
| Feature | Existing Scheme | Revamped CMCHIS |
| Annual Coverage | ₹5 Lakh per family | ₹25 Lakh per family |
| High-Cost Procedures | Up to ₹23 Lakh via separate corpus fund | Integrated into main scheme / new corpus structure |
| Target Beneficiaries | 1.45 Crore low-income families | 1.45 Crore families (Senior citizens shifted to separate tier) |
| Treatment Packages | Fixed price ceilings | Revised upwards to include newer, advanced therapies |
Implementation Details
As reported by The Times of India and The Hindu, state officials are currently negotiating revised premium rates with the current underwriter, United India Insurance Company. A formal Government Order (GO) detailing the revised package pricing and coverage rollout is expected shortly.
