Centre rejects viral claim on linking CGHS with Ayushman Bharat Health account

The CGHS is the scheme which provides healthcare facilities for the central government employees and pensioners and their dependence in CGHS-covered cities.

A post is doing rounds on social media that the Narendra Modi government wants to link the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) with the Ayushman Bharat Healh Account (ABHA) to provide treatment for the CGHS beneficiaries in government hospitals instead of private hospitals.

CGHS provides cashless treatment to central government employees – including retired staffers – at their own centres or empanelled hospitals.(REUTERS)

Now, the Union government has denied the reports on social media. The government's Press Information Bureau has put out this tweet,"This claim is fake. GOI has made no such announcement".

What is CGHS?

According to the government's National Health Portal website, the CGHS is the scheme which provides healthcare facilities for the central government employees and pensioners and their dependence in the CGHS-covered cities.

The medical facilities are provided through Wellness Centres (previously referred to as CGHS Dispensaries) /polyclinics under Allopathic, Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathic systems of medicines.

The main components of the CGHS are dispensary services, specialist consultation facilities at dispensary, polyclinic and hospital level, hospitalisation etc.