Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Oct 31: The Tamil Nadu government has increased the annual family income eligibility limit under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) to Rs 2.5 lakh from the existing Rs 1.2 lakh, according to details in the new tender document and the proposed 2027 scheme guidelines.
The revised income eligibility provision was reported on October 31, 2026, while the new scheme is scheduled to come into effect on January 11, 2027.
The development follows Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's announcement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 19, 2026, that the health insurance coverage would be increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per family.
According to the proposed Health Insurance Scheme guidelines for 2027, treatment expenses exceeding Rs 5 lakh will be met through a government-funded corpus fund, taking the overall coverage to Rs 25 lakh.
The revised eligibility provisions are expected to bring more families under the state's flagship healthcare programme. Applicants seeking coverage will have to submit their family card and an income certificate issued by the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) or revenue authorities through the online system, along with a self-declaration from the head of the family.
The scheme will cover medical expenses from the patient's admission to discharge following treatment. These include surgeons' fees, anaesthetists' charges, medical practitioners' and consultants' fees, general ward and intensive care unit (ICU) charges, nursing and boarding expenses, anaesthesia, blood, oxygen, operation charges, surgical appliances, medicines and drugs.
The coverage will also include the cost of prosthetic devices, implants, consumables, X-rays, diagnostic investigations and other medical tests. Food provided to inpatients, transportation expenses through public transport and follow-up medicines will also be covered under the proposed guidelines.
Meanwhile, Health Minister K G Arunraj recently said that the government would invite fresh tenders for implementing the scheme. The existing insurance contract is scheduled to end in January 2027, following which the enhanced coverage is expected to be introduced through the new tender.
Under the revised arrangement, the insurance coverage will increase fivefold, providing eligible families access to treatment worth up to Rs 25 lakh, with expenses beyond the insurance company's Rs 5-lakh liability being met through the corpus fund.
The increase in the annual income eligibility ceiling and health insurance coverage is expected to expand access to quality healthcare for more families across Tamil Nadu.