Delhi Raises Income Limit For Free Treatment At Private Hospitals To Rs 5 LPA

New Delhi: The Delhi government's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued an order expanding the scope of healthcare facilities for the economically weaker sections (EWS). According to the new order, the annual family income limit for receiving free treatment at private hospitals built on subsidised land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been increased from Rs 2.20 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

This order, issued by DGHS Director Vatsala Agarwal, will provide significant relief to lakhs of middle-to-lower-income families in Delhi, who were previously unable to access treatment at expensive private hospitals due to the strict income limit.

Decision Taken After High Court Intervention

This order from the Directorate of Health Services was issued in compliance with the directions of the Delhi High Court. Following this, a special committee was constituted in October last year. In a recent meeting, this committee agreed that the existing income limit of Rs 2.20 lakh was insufficient, given inflation and rising cost of healthcare services.

The court believed that the definition of economically weaker sections (EWS) should be broadened so that more needy people could benefit from these facilities.

62 Major Delhi Hospitals Covered

Currently, there are 62 private hospitals in Delhi that are built on land allotted at subsidised rates by the DDA. According to the lease conditions, a quota is mandatory for these hospitals. This includes providing free treatment to 25 per cent of total OPD patients from the EWS category, and reserving 10 per cent of the total bed capacity for EWS patients, completely free of charge.

These hospitals include prestigious healthcare institutions in the city such as Max, Fortis, Apollo, and Sir Ganga Ram, where families with an annual income of up to Rs 5 lakh will now be able to receive free tests, surgeries, and medicines.

Senior advocate Ashok Agarwal of the Delhi High Court, who has consistently raised this issue, stated that the old income limit of Rs 2.20 lakh was extremely low. In a city like Delhi, where the minimum wage is higher than this amount, many poor families were technically excluded from the EWS category. Increasing the income limit to Rs 5 lakh will now benefit workers and low-income employees who previously missed out on this facility.

Along with the order, the Directorate of Health Services has instructed hospitals to maintain transparency. Hospitals must clearly display the number of available EWS beds and eligibility criteria on their notice boards.

Key Points In The Order

• Old income limit: Rs 2.20 lakh per annum
• New income limit: Rs 5 lakh per annum
• Hospitals covered: 62 private institutions in the city
• Facility: Free OPD, medicines, tests, and surgery

To avail free treatment under the EWS quota in these 62 Delhi private hospitals, the following procedures and documents will be required:

1. Income Certificate: A valid certificate issued by the Revenue Department/SDM office, stating an annual income of less than Rs 5 lakh
2. EWS Card/BPL Card: Food security card issued by the Delhi government
3. Residence Proof: Aadhaar card, Voter ID, or electricity bill (to prove that the patient is a resident of Delhi)
4. Referral letter (if any): Referral note sent by a government hospital to a private hospital

Procedure To Avail Benefit

Every listed private hospital has a help desk near the gate or reception, where a nodal officer appointed by the Delhi government is present. You will have to show your income-related documents at that help desk. If there is any vacancy in the EWS quota of beds (10 per cent of total) in the hospital, the patient will be admitted immediately.

In case of an OPD visit, the prescription will be issued free of charge. If any hospital refuses to provide treatment, you can call the Delhi government helpline (1031) or register a complaint on the Directorate of Health Services' website.

Almost all major private hospitals in Delhi are covered under this rule. These include Max Super Speciality Hospital (Saket, Patparganj, Shalimar Bagh), Fortis Escorts Heart Institute (Okhla) and Fortis (Shalimar Bagh), Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (Sarita Vihar), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (Rajendra Nagar), Moolchand Khairati Ram Hospital (Lajpat Nagar), Dharmshila Narayana Super Specialty Hospital (Vasundhara Enclave), BLK-Max Super Specialty Hospital (Pusa Road), Holy Family Hospital (Okhla), St. Stephen's Hospital (Tis Hazari), Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre (Tughlakabad).

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