Cancer treatment costs a lot and it is not affordable for all. There are multiple expenses to be incurred and taken care of during the treatment period, including the cost of medicines, therapies, regular tests, and patient care. To make it effortless for the patients who can not afford the treatment charges, a number of schemes have been launched by the government.

The State Governments of various states of India have undertaken the goal of helping cancer patients. Many states are being benefited from such schemes. Read below and check if you qualify for assistance.

Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Karnataka 

As per the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund by the Karnataka Government, financial assistance is provided to patients living below the poverty line and suffering from deadly diseases. If the eligible patients have already spent on their treatment, they can submit the final bill with the discharge summary. However, if the treatment is yet to start, they can submit the estimated cost of treatment determined by the concerned hospital or medical institute. 

Under this Chief Minister's Relief Fund, the following beneficiaries are included: 

• Eligible unemployed

• Eligible people with disabilities

• Poorest of the poor people

• Eligible people (suffering from deadly diseases) undergoing treatment 

The necessary documents to be submitted during the application process are:

• An application

• BPL (Below Poverty Line) card

• EPIC and  Aadhar card

• Original (final) bills

• Discharge summary

If you wish to apply for this, you must note the following details. 

Mail: cmrf@karnataka.gov.in 

Visit here to apply.

Free Cancer Treatment Under Aarogyasri Scheme, Andhra Pradesh 

This is a scheme to address the needs of poor people and assist families that are living below the poverty line. Free Cancer Treatment Under Aarogyasri Scheme aims at providing free treatment to eligible patients for certain types of diseases in any hospital in Andhra Pradesh. If you wish to apply, you must note the eligibility criteria.

• Patients having a BPL (below poverty line) ration card that is issued by the Civil Supplies Department.

• Patients having below 35 acres of total land (wet and/or dry).

• Patients paying property tax for less than 334 sq. yds. 

• Patients having less than 5 lakhs of annual income. 

Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy also announced that 2059 ailments will also be included in the Aarogyasri Scheme of Andhra Pradesh. Typically, sunstroke, malaria, chikungunya, and typhoid are covered.

The following services are included in the Aarogyasri Scheme:

• Cashless healthcare services from the time of patient’s reporting till up to 10 days after the discharge (including medical consumables).  

• Expenses that are incurred on the transportation of the patient for medical purposes. 

• Expenses that are incurred on the food and maintenance of patients during the treatment period.

Mukh Mantri Cancer Raahat Kosh Scheme, Punjab

Mukh Mantri Punjab Cancer Raahat Kosh Scheme aims at providing financial assistance to the residents of Punjab who are suffering from cancer. Under this, financial assistance of up to Rs 1,50,000 is provided to assist the patients except for patients who already have medical insurance, employees of the Government sector, ESI, and their dependents. 

The key features of the Mukh Mantri Cancer Raahat Kosh Scheme by the Punjab Government are:

• The Punjab Government will make the payment directly to the concerned hospital. As a result, patients won’t have to wait for treatment for too long.

• Positron emission tomography (PET) scan is covered under this scheme.

• The applicant must be a resident of Punjab and should have valid proof of the same.

If you wish to apply, make sure to note the following steps:

• Visit the website for the application form.

• Click on the “Programs/Schemes” section. 

• Click on the “Cancer Control Programme”.

• Once done, download the application form.

• Fill the application form carefully. Now, attach the mentioned documents with the form. 

• Submit this to the District Civil Surgeon Officer.

Click here to know the list of empaneled hospitals under this scheme.

Free Cancer Treatment in West Bengal Govt Hospitals 

The Government of West Bengal has provided the facility of free treatment of all types of cancer in the hospitals and medical colleges that are run by the state. Under this, any cancer patient can get access to medicines, hospital beds, chemotherapy, and surgical procedures for free. 

The key features of “Free Cancer Treatment in Govt Hospitals, West Bengal” are as follows:

• The treatment of patients suffering from blood disorders, cancer, cardiac problems, and other life-threatening diseases is to be done free of cost in the state-run hospitals of West Bengal.

• The scheme, announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also assures free treatment of diseases like cancer among others in government-led medical colleges situated in West Bengal.

• The services included in this scheme are the provision of medicines free of cost, free therapies like radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. It also covers the cost of surgical procedures (open heart, bypass, insertion of stents and pacemakers) and transplants.

One can visit the nearest Government hospital for more details.

'Mediclaim Scheme' of Directorate of Health Services by Goa Govt

Under the 'Mediclaim Scheme' of the Directorate of Health Services, the Mediclaim facility is provided for Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy to cancer patients (who are permanent residents of Goa) of up to Rs 5,00,000. 

The coverages of 'Mediclaim Scheme' of Directorate of Health Services by Goa Government are as follows:

• Treatment of any major disease

• Radiotherapy expenses 

• Plastic surgery expenses

• Kidney transplant expenses 

• Joint replacement expenses

• Cardio-thoracic surgery expenses 

The necessary documents to be submitted during the application process are:

• Form C and D

• Two recent passport-size photographs

• One copy of the applicant’s election card 

• Form A along with the applicant’s medical certificate

• Form B along with the annual income certificate

The treatment must then be undertaken in the hospitals that are listed in the PDF file issued by the Government. One can contact the delegates for further information. 

Mail: directorhealth_goa@yahoo.co.in 

Cancer Suraksha' Scheme by Social Security Mission of Kerala

This scheme is introduced for cancer patients (from poor families) below the age of 18 years. Under the Cancer Suraksha Scheme by Social Security Mission, patient cards will be issued to eligible patients in the state. The cost of treatment will be managed by the funds provided by the Social Security Mission, subject to maximum assistance of Rs 50,000 per child. Additional expenditure can also be managed by the hospital as per the approval of the Mission.

Note the following points before you apply for Cancer Suraksha' Scheme by the Social Security Mission of Kerala: 

• Only cancer patients who are aged below 18 years and belong to the BPL population are eligible.

• The patient should be a resident of Kerala. 

• The applicant must have proof of cancer diagnosis. 

• The patients who have private medical insurance are not eligible. 

Visit the webpage for further details.

Free Chemotherapy Programme, Odisha

The Free Chemotherapy Programme by Odisha Government aims at providing cancer consultation at district headquarters hospital free of cost in addition to the free chemotherapy treatment to all poor cancer patients in Odisha. The treatment must then be undertaken in the capital hospital, any of the hospitals in the 30 districts, or IGH (Ispat General Hospital) in Rourkela.

If you wish to apply for this, you must note the eligibility criteria:

• The applicant must be below the poverty line. This shall be proved by submitting either a BPL card or annual income certificate stating the annual income below Rs.60,000 in urban areas and Rs.40,000 in rural areas.

• The applicant having an RSBY (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana) card is also eligible.

• The employees of Central and State governments are not eligible. 

• The employees of PSU (Public sector undertakings in India) are also not eligible. 

• A victim of any unknown accident who is referred by a mental asylum, orphanage, or child care institution is eligible.

'Free Cancer Medicines' Scheme of Rajasthan Govt

The DDCs (Drug Distribution Counters) that have been set up in the government-run selected hospitals of Rajasthan provide listed 36 different types of cancer drugs free of cost to cancer patients. The drugs under the 'Free Cancer Medicines' Scheme include medications like Melphalan, Imatinib, and Cytarabine. The medicines provided by the DDCs cover the treatment of cancers including bladder cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, leukemia, and pancreatic cancer. The aim of the 'Free Cancer Medicines' Scheme of the Rajasthan Government is to reduce the financial burden of cancer patients.

The two components of this scheme are:

• Free Medicines: This was introduced on October 2, 2011, by the Rajasthan Government and included the provision of free cancer medicines.

• Free Tests: This was introduced on April 7, 2013, by the Rajasthan Government and included the provision of free tests in government-led healthcare institutions.

These are the major schemes launched by the State Governments in India. Moreover, there may be some other beneficial schemes too. Make sure you consider them if you are eligible and can be benefitted.