Telangana Govt Launches New EHS for Employees, Pensioners

Hyderabad: The state government on Friday launched the Employees Health Scheme (EHS), providing cashless medical treatment to nearly eight lakh government employees, pensioners and their 29.8 lakh dependent family members through a network of 886 empanelled private hospitals and 114 government hospitals. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha formally distributed health cards to employees and pensioners to mark the event.

Describing the initiative as a major employee welfare measure, Bhatti said the scheme was designed to provide reliable, comprehensive and fear-free healthcare while protecting employees from financial distress caused by medical expenses. He said the government had recognised the hardships faced by employees who often slipped into debt while meeting treatment costs and therefore introduced a completely cashless healthcare system.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries can avail free inpatient treatment covering 1,816 medical and surgical procedures at Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) package rates. To ensure transparency and efficient implementation, the government has established a dedicated trust with equal representation from government officials and employee unions.

Bhatti criticised the previous BRS government for allegedly ignoring employee demands for over a decade and leaving nearly Rs 10,000 crore in pending medical reimbursements. He said the present Congress government was clearing the backlog in a phased manner and releasing Rs 2,000 crore every month towards pending dues, while personally reviewing progress every fortnight.

Highlighting the government's focus on healthcare, he said Rajiv Aarogyasri coverage had already been enhanced from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, benefiting 1.06 crore eligible families. He urged employees to serve with renewed commitment and help effectively implement the government's welfare programmes across the state.