17 February 2026·PIB

Secretary, DFS inaugurates facilitation camps to promote ‘Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima’ for CGHS beneficiaries

In this note

1. At a Glance

Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima (PMAB) is a retail health insurance product exclusively for CGHS beneficiaries, underwritten by New India Assurance Company Limited (NIACL), a PSU general insurer under the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance [1][2].
It offers ₹10 lakh/₹20 lakh hospitalisation cover, 100% AYUSH in-patient coverage, and zero GST to enhance affordability [2][3].
Relevant for UPSC as a convergence point of health-insurance policy, AYUSH mainstreaming, CGHS reform, and PSU insurance regulation.

On 17 Feb 2026, Sh. M. Nagaraju, Secretary, DFS, inaugurated facilitation camps organised by NIACL at DFS, New Delhi, to promote PMAB across Ministries/Departments of GoI [1].
The product itself was launched on 14 January 2026 by NIACL for CGHS beneficiaries [1][2].

CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) — inception 1954, under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, provides healthcare to central government employees, pensioners and dependants.
Rising tertiary-care costs and demand for top-up cover outside CGHS empanelment created scope for a dedicated CGHS-linked health insurance product.
NIACL (founded 1919, nationalised 1973) — first PSU general insurer to design a CGHS-exclusive policy.
Launch: 14 Jan 2026 by DFS via NIACL [2][3].
Promotion phase: Inter-ministerial facilitation camps from 17 Feb 2026 [1].

Product name: Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima [1].
Insurer: New India Assurance Company Limited (NIACL), a PSU under DFS [1].
Administering Ministry: Ministry of Finance → DFS [1].
Eligibility: Exclusively CGHS beneficiaries; up to 6 members per policy [2].
Sum Insured: ₹10 lakh or ₹20 lakh; indemnity-based, in-patient, within India [2].
Co-payment options: 70:30 or 50:50 (insurer:subscriber) [2].
Room rent cap: 1% of SI/day (normal), 2% of SI/day (ICU) [2].
Pre-hospitalisation: 30 days; Post-hospitalisation: 60 days [2].
AYUSH cover: Up to 100% of sum insured for in-patient hospitalisation [2].
GST: Nil (zero GST) [2].
Distribution: NIACL branches + online portal [2].
Nature: Optional/retail, supplementary to CGHS [2].

Economic / Fiscal

Reduces out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for central employees/pensioners — India's OOPE remains ~47% of total health spend.
Zero-GST design improves affordability and follows broader move to lower GST on health/term insurance [2].
Expands NIACL's retail book and supports PSU general-insurer profitability.

Social

Targets CGHS pensioner cohort (largely senior citizens) — addresses geriatric health-financing gap.
Family floater (up to 6) broadens dependant coverage.

Administrative / Governance

Convergence between DFS (Finance) and CGHS (MoHFW) — exemplar of inter-ministerial product design [1].
Facilitation-camp model: on-site enrolment at Ministries reduces information asymmetry [1].

Scientific / Health-System

100% AYUSH cover operationalises the National AYUSH Mission mainstreaming goal — places Ayurveda/Yoga/Unani/Siddha/Homoeopathy at par with allopathic in-patient cover [2].
Supports "modern treatments" (robotic surgery, oral chemotherapy, etc., typical of IRDAI 2019/2020 norms).

Regulatory

Falls under IRDAI product approval framework; indemnity health insurance per IRDAI (Health Insurance) Regulations, 2016.

14 Jan 2026: PMAB launched by NIACL for CGHS beneficiaries [2][3].
17 Feb 2026: DFS Secretary M. Nagaraju inaugurates inter-ministerial facilitation camps in New Delhi [1].
Companion advisories disseminated via Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) and other ministries [4].

PMAB launched on 14 January 2026 [2].
Underwritten by New India Assurance Company Limited — a PSU under DFS, not by GIC Re [1].
Administering ministry is Ministry of Finance (DFS), not Ministry of Health & Family Welfare [1].
Sum-insured slabs: ₹10 lakh and ₹20 lakh only [2].
Co-payment ratios: 70:30 or 50:50 [2].
Maximum 6 members per policy [2].
Room rent: 1% (normal) / 2% (ICU) of sum insured per day [2].
Pre-hosp 30 days, post-hosp 60 days [2].
AYUSH in-patient: 100% of SI [2].
No GST levied on premium [2].
Exclusively for CGHS beneficiaries (not open public) [2].
DFS Secretary as of Feb 2026: Sh. M. Nagaraju [1].
CGHS itself: established 1954, under MoHFW (do not confuse with DFS).

GS-II: Government policies/interventions for development in social sectors—Health; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections.
GS-III: Indian economy—Mobilisation of resources; Inclusive growth—health financing.
Possible stems: 1. "Discuss the role of PSU general insurers in deepening health insurance penetration in India, with reference to recent CGHS-linked products." 2. "Mainstreaming AYUSH within India's health-financing architecture remains uneven. Examine." 3. "Out-of-pocket health expenditure continues to be the Achilles' heel of India's health system. Critically evaluate recent policy responses."

Mis-attributing PMAB to MoHFW; it is administered via DFS, Ministry of Finance [1].
Confusing insurer — PMAB is by NIACL, not LIC, not GIC Re, not Star Health.
Assuming open enrolment — PMAB is CGHS-only.
Confusing co-pay direction: 70:30 means insurer pays 70, subscriber 30 (not vice-versa) [2].
Mixing PMAB with PM-JAY (PMAB is contributory premium-based, PM-JAY is tax-funded for poor/vulnerable).