NEW DELHI: Central government employees choosing either their parents or parents-in-law as dependents for availing medical facilities 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 fresh order issued by the Union health ministry.In an office memorandum issued on May 13, the ministry stated that eligible employees can exercise the option only once and the decision would remain final even in cases such as the death of parents or changes in family circumstances.The order applies 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 opts to include parents as dependents for availing medical facilities, the option cannot subsequently be shifted to parents-in-law, and vice versa.The latest directions come as the Centre continues implementation of reforms introduced over the past two years to expand flexibility under government health schemes. In July 2023, the government extended the choice of including either parents or parents-in-law under CGHS to male Central government employees for the first time, bringing them at par with female employees who already had this provision under earlier rules. The facility was further extended in March 2024 to beneficiaries covered under the Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944, after the ministry said it had received repeated representations and queries seeking similar benefits for CS(MA) beneficiaries as well.Officials said the fresh 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 centres and empanelled hospitals across the country. The dependency criteria are linked to income limits and other eligibility conditions prescribed under the scheme.
