Tamil Nadu: Annual coverage under CM Health Insurance hiked to Rs 25 lakh

Tamil Nadu chief minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday announced a sweeping expansion of the state’s healthcare initiatives, raising the annual coverage under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) fivefold from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

Making the announcement under Rule 110 in the assembly, Vijay said healthcare must be treated as a fundamental right rather than a privilege, with the government seeking to dismantle financial and geographical barriers to quality medical care.

Under the revamped CMCHIS, beneficiaries will now be entitled to annual health insurance coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh, compared with the existing ceiling of Rs 5 lakh.

The government also plans to strengthen specialised healthcare infrastructure across the state. A 400-bed multi-speciality hospital of international standards will be built in Perambur, North Chennai, at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.

In another significant step towards inclusive healthcare, transgender people will be eligible for specialised medical and surgical services under the state insurance scheme at seven government medical college hospitals. The facilities will include hospitals in Chennai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari.

Expanding the healthcare workforce

Seeking to address the shortage of trained medical personnel, the government will invest Rs 351 crore to create additional seats in nursing and pharmacy programmes.

The plan includes establishing seven new nursing colleges while expanding the capacity of existing institutions, potentially widening the pipeline of trained professionals needed to staff the state’s growing healthcare network.

Cancer care gets major boost

Cancer treatment and early detection also feature prominently in the government’s healthcare blueprint. The Chief Minister’s Cancer Care Mission will be strengthened with an allocation of Rs 677.44 crore.

A new integrated cancer treatment unit, comprising a ground floor and four additional floors, will be established at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai at a cost of Rs 471.80 crore.

Five regional cancer centres will also be established, including in Thanjavur, Coimbatore and Madurai, bringing specialised treatment closer to patients outside the state capital.

The government will equip hospitals with advanced technologies, including robotic surgery systems and linear accelerators, aimed at expanding access to sophisticated cancer treatment.

Focus on early detection

The new measures also place emphasis on catching cancer and other serious illnesses earlier, when treatment can be more effective.

HPV DNA testing will be introduced for women in selected districts to identify high-risk types of human papillomavirus associated with cervical cancer. The government will also provide nutritional support as part of its broader healthcare interventions.

Taken together, the announcements represent a substantial expansion of Tamil Nadu’s public healthcare architecture — from a fivefold increase in insurance protection to new hospitals, cancer centres, medical technology and training capacity.

Vijay said the measures were guided by the principle that access to quality healthcare should not be determined by a person’s income or where they live.

With PTI inputs