CGHS Update: There’s good news for people using the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released a new order that makes it easier to get medicines from outside pharmacies if they’re not available at CGHS dispensaries.
Under the new rule, patients can now buy OPD (outpatient) medicines from the open market—retail pharmacies—without needing a Non-Availability Certificate (NAC).
What Was the Rule Earlier?
Earlier, if a medicine was not available at a CGHS wellness center or hospital, patients had to get a NAC to buy it from outside.
Without this certificate, they could not claim reimbursement for the medicine. Now, because of recent technical issues, the government has temporarily removed the NAC requirement.
Rules Eased Due to HMIS Update
From April 28, 2025, CGHS has been moved to a new digital platform. Earlier, it worked on NIC’s platform, but now it runs on a Health Management Information System (HMIS) developed by C-DAC.
This change caused some issues for patients trying to get medicines. So, the government has provided a one-month relaxation from April 28 to May 31, 2025.
During this period, patients can buy medicines from outside using a valid doctor’s prescription and still get a reimbursement—no NAC required.
Old CGHS Websites Closed
Previously, CGHS used two websites: www.cghs.gov.in and www.cghs.nic.in. These have now been shut down.
A new official website—**www.cghs.mohfw.gov.in**—has been launched. The government says this new system will make medicine delivery and other services faster and more transparent.
How to Get Reimbursement
Patients will need to submit the doctor’s prescription and the pharmacy bill at the appropriate office to claim a reimbursement.
Pensioners: Submit through the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to the CGHS Additional Director of your zone or city.
Serving Employees: Submit the claim to your department.
Members of Parliament (MPs): Submit through the Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Autonomous Institutions & Air India Employees: Submit through your institution’s office.
Old System Shut Down After 20 Years
The earlier digital system of CGHS was launched in 2005 and hadn’t been upgraded for 20 years.
All CGHS wellness centers were closed to the public on April 26, 2025, and the old websites were shut on April 28.
Now, all CGHS services are fully digital and available only on the new platform.
