ELIGIBILITY OF PERMANENTLY DISABLED SON OF ACGHS BENEFICIARY TO AVAIL CGHS FACILITY

       The undersigned is directed  to  refer to the Office  Memorandum,  of even  number, dated the 31st May, 2007 and 29th August, 2007, vide  which  the entitlement of the son of a CGHS beneficiary beyond the age of 25 years was conveyed. As per the two Office   Memoranda   under reference,    it was indicated that a son of a CGHS beneficiary suffering from any permanent disability of any kind  (physical or mental) will be entitled to CGHS beneficiary even after attaining the age of 25 years. It  was  clarified    that  the   following    will   be  the disabilities, as defined in Section 2(i) of  "The persons  with   Disabilities  (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (No.1 of 1996)"  to   entitle a    son of a CGHS beneficiary to avail CGHS facility irrespective of his age:-

(i)           Blindness:
(ii)          Low-vision
(iii)         Leprosy-cured
(iv)         hearing                impairment
(v)          locomotor            disability
(vi)         mental  retardation:       and
(vii)        mental  illness

2.        Subsequent to the issue of the Office Memoranda   under reference, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been   receiving requests   for   inclusion    of ailments like renal failure, autism, etc., within the definition of "disability" so that sons of CGHS beneficiaries could avail CGHS facility irrespective of the age of the son.

3.  After careful examination of the matter, it has been decided that the definition of permanent disabilities, of sons of CGHS beneficiaries, to avail CGHS facility be expanded as below:-

(i)           Blindness:
(ii)          Low-vision
(iii)         Leprosy-cured
(iv)         hearing   impairment
(v)          locomotor     disability
(vi)         mental  retardation:       and
(vii)        mental  illness

(ii) Disabilities defined in Clause    (i)  of Section 2        of National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation      and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 (No.44 of 1999), which presently covers a person suffering from any of the condition relating to autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation or a combination of any two or more of such conditions and includes a person suffering from several multiple disability.

It is clarified that Permanent Disability" means a person with eighty per cent or more of one or more disabilities. In order for the son of the CGHS with permanent disability to avail CGHS facility, the other normal condition of dependency and normally residing with the CGHS beneficiary will continue to apply.