The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) is a fund set up in 2009 within the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN). This scheme was set up so that patients who may be suffering from Cancer and are living below the poverty line may have some help from the government when it comes to paying for their medical expenses and being able to adequately receive the treatment they need, also in a timely way with good quality medical supervision by applying with the HMCPF application form. In India, there are a lot of poor people that are suffering from Cancer and cannot afford treatments for chemotherapy, surgeries, or any other kind of medical treatment or procedure they may require to be able to battle the disease of Cancer or, at the very least help to improve their standard of life when it comes to living with the disease, which is often very difficult to treat. The healthcare system has been under alot of pressure in the last few years, making things for people who are struggling to pay for treatments within different medical facilities even harder. Cancer is a very difficult disease to deal with emotionally as well. Sometimes patients may also go through remission, which means the resurgence of the malignant tumor that has caused Cancer, and people may not be left with the means to pay for their treatment anymore as they have already exhausted all of their financial savings the first time around that they had Cancer and were able to treat it. This is where the Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) comes in to assist patients that need financial help to pay for such treatments through the HMCPF application form.

Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi & The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund - HMCPF
Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

There are essential schemes that assist the citizens of India when it comes to their healthcare needs, started by the government to improve the lifestyle in the country, to push forth progress when it comes to healthcare, and to make healthcare facilities available for as many people as possible, especially those who are currently struggling to stay financially afloat and afford day to day needs and regular necessities. The umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi has three components: (i) Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN). (ii) Health Minister’sMinister’s cancer Patients Fund (HMCPF). (iii) Scheme for financial assistance for patients suffering from rare diseases. The Rashtriya Arorya Nidhi has been initiated to extend financial aid to the less privileged patients that may be living below the threshold poverty line and suffering from life-threatening diseases that may be affecting the heart, kidney, liver, etc. so that they may be able to afford to have their treatment at Government hospitals/ institutes that have super specialty facilities where they will be able to get the best possible treatment when it comes to their medical situation.

Why Do Cancer Patients Need Financial Assistance?

The costs of healthcare has steeply risen in the last few years, especially since the coronavirus pandemic that caused havoc for numerous years and put alot of pressure on the health facilities in the country, causing the costs for medical treatments to rise sharply. Cancer patients have malignant tumors in some parts of their bodies. Tumors are not usually harmful to the body and are defined as the new growth of some unusual tissue that may be uncontrolled and progressive. The tumors that do not harm the body are called benign tumors and may only grow in one place. The tumors that multiply are called malignant tumors. They spread to distant sites via the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. This spread of cancerous tumors that harm the body or create some kind of negative effect on it is called metastasis which in its more serious cases may take the life of a patient. The earlier one is able to detect cancer and pay for a suitable treatment, the better are the chances of the patient to be able to be treated and fully recover from their stage of cancer. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, there may be certain a One may have to go through different kinds of procedures, treatments, or even surgeries to get the malignant tumor removed or to stop the growth of the malignant tumor, which can often be expensive. With the rising costs of healthcare, it has become difficult for financially burdened groups of society to be able to pay for such medical processes. This is where schemes and funds such as the Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) come in and provide the necessary financial assistance to those who may need it when they apply for the same through the HMCPF application form.

How Much Assistance Is Given To Each Patient Suffering From Cancer Through The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)?

Certain funds may be accorded to struggling citizens with Cancer who fall into the BPL or Below The Poverty Line category through the Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). No upper limit has been set regarding the funding that will be provided to a patient who has Cancer and requires or be eligible for financial assistance through the Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). A technical committee has been formed, however, which is in charge of inspecting every case and giving recommendations based on the amount of financial assistance that will be provided to the patient with a particular cancer case.

Financial Assistance Provided Through The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

Financial assistance will be offered through the fund to all the eligible persons, in this case, people who belong to the group considered BPL or Below the Poverty Line. The Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) aims to assist poor patients financially. They are usually persons who are living below the poverty line and suffer from Cancer. Through the Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF), one may be able to receive the necessary financial assistance for treatment at 27 Regional cancer centers (RCCs). Revolving Funds have been created in all 27 Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs) at different locations. There will be funds up to the amount of Rs. Fifty lakhs will be placed at their disposal. Up to Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rs. Two lahks only) for the cancer patient is processed by the Institute/Hospital concerned through the revolving fund placed at their disposal. Cases requiring more than Rs. 2.00 lakh of financial assistance will be sent to the Ministry for processing.

Benefits Of The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

Benefits under the Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) may come in the form of different kinds of medical treatments for cancer patients for which financial assistance may be provided when applications may be received through the necessary HMCPF application form. There will be different types of treatments for which financial aid will be available under the Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) – radiation treatment of all kinds, including radiotherapy and gamma knife Surgery/GRT/MRT/Brachytherapy, anti-cancer chemotherapy with supportive medication including hormonal therapy, bone marrow transplantation- allogenic & autologous, diagnostic procedures- including PET scan, surgery for operable malignant tumors. Assistance may be given the patients who are less privileged and are more financially needy through this scheme. These people usually live below the threshold poverty line and are referred to as BPL or persons Below the Poverty Line. The people from within these groups that are suffering from Cancer may be able to afford their treatment at Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs), Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC), and State Cancer Institutes (SCD).

How To Avail Benefits Under The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

One may like to avail of some financial assistance under the Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). To be able to do so, the person who has Cancer may be obligated to submit an application form (HMCPF application form) that has been given to them and signed by the doctor treating them. This must also be countersigned by the Medical Superintendent of the particular Government hospital, Institute, or Regional Cancer Centre. They must also be able to provide a copy of the income certificate, and a copy of the ration card, revolving funds have been set up in 27 RCCs, and funds upto 50 lakhs are placed at their disposal for providing treatment upto Rs. 2 lahks in each case.

Whether Reimbursement Of Medical Expenses Already Incurred Is Permissible?

Cancer patients that have been considered eligible for financial assistance under RAN or Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, medical treatment/operation in the interim period, between the date of receipt of application form for assistance under RAN (complete in all respects) and date of communication of sanction for financial aid under RAN or Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, will be allowed to gather funds to pay for their medical treatment through RAN or Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, usually with some particular set limit. The repayment to the necessary persons will be allowed based on the payments already borne by the cancer patient that has been paid to the medical facility with a specific limit. The repayment of the medical expenses regarding the cancer patient’spatient’s medical case that has already been incurred before the date of receipt of the application form ( which has been completed) for financial assistance under RAN or Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi will, however, not be allowed.

Exclusions Of The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

There are specific exclusions to the Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). Exclusions include medical treatments or activities not covered by the scheme or financed through the fund. The Central Government./State Govt. /PSU employees are not eligible to receive financial assistance from Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) for their treatments or medical aid; the grant from HMCPF also not be used where treatment /facilities for cancer treatment is available free of cost.

Other Key Features Of The Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

There may be some other vital points one may want to remember regarding the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi or the Health Minister Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). Under RAN or the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, financial assistance will be given to patients to treat their medical conditions at Government hospitals that house super-special facilities. Persons will not be eligible for any help regarding the scheme if they receive medical treatment at a private hospital. The financial aid to patients that may be regarded as suitable for the scheme or financing through the fund will be a ”one-time grant”.

Conclusion

The Health Minister’sMinister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) is vital for the segments of society that need assistance with payments for treating different types of Cancer. The perks of this scheme, however, go past simply financing. The scheme helps the patient be sure that they will have some funding to meet their medical needs, which will avoid stress and rather induce a treatment for the cancer patients that is absolved of any stress, delays, and inconveniences that they wouldn’twouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. Cancer is a disease whose diagnosis may be out of one’sone’s hands. Still, adequate treatments and more comfortable medical progress may be possible if the proper steps are taken. Ensuring that fewer people are struggling to pay for such treatments at the lower strata of society will ensure that the people in the country are generally working less when it comes to at least the financial side of being a cancer patient. It will provide a better quality of life overall, better facilities for cancer patients, and make this journey through Cancer, which is usually the most challenging time of someone’ssomeone’s life diagnosed with the disease, much more bearable.

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