Govt bars Central employees from changing CGHS parent/in-law option later
New Delhi: Central government employees who have selected their parents or in-laws as dependents for availing medical benefits under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944 will not be allowed to change the option later, according to a new order issued by the Union Health Ministry.In an office memorandum issued on May 13, the ministry said eligible employees can exercise the option only once and the decision will be final even in cases such as death of a parent or change in family circumstances.This order is applicable to beneficiaries covered under both CGHS and CS(MA) Rules, 1944, subject to existing dependency and eligibility conditions. According to the ministry, if an employee chooses to include parents as dependents for availing medical benefits, the option cannot be transferred later to in-laws and vice versa.The latest directives come as the Center continues to implement reforms introduced over the past two years to increase flexibility under government health schemes. In July 2023, the government for the first time extended the option of inclusion of parents or in-laws under CGHS to male central government employees, bringing them at par with female employees who already had this provision.The facility was further extended to beneficiaries under the Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944 in March 2024, after the ministry said it had received repeated representations and queries for similar facilities for CS(MA) beneficiaries.Officials said the new instructions were aimed at streamlining implementation across ministries and departments and avoiding repeated changes in dependency declarations under government-funded health schemes.CGHS provides cashless and reimbursement-based healthcare facilities to lakhs of serving and retired central government employees and their dependent family members through wellness centers and enrolled hospitals across the country. Dependency criteria are linked to income limits and other eligibility conditions prescribed under the scheme.
