healthcare

CMCHIS in Chennai: Eligibility, Rs 25 Lakh Cover, Enrolment

Tamil Nadu has announced a fivefold rise in CMCHIS cover to Rs 25 lakh a family. Here is who qualifies, how to enrol in Chennai and how to find a hospital.

20 October 2026

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The Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), Tamil Nadu’s free hospital cover for low-income families, is set for its biggest change in years. On 19 August 2026, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced in the Assembly that the annual cover would rise fivefold, from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per family (News Today).

Reports at the time said implementation details were still to be announced, and we could not find a published government order on the scheme’s official site when checking this week. Until the higher limit is notified, assume the existing cover applies and confirm with the helpline before planned surgery. Here is how the scheme works for Chennai families now.

Who is eligible

The core rule is income. A family qualifies if its annual income is below the ceiling the government has fixed, given as Rs 1.20 lakh, and the members are listed on a Tamil Nadu family (ration) card (DT Next explainer). Cover extends to the family members named on that ration card, so make sure everyone who should be covered appears on it before you go to enrol.

Some groups are exempted from the income ceiling under the scheme’s rules. If someone in your family has a disability, or your household falls in a special category, ask the enrolment kiosk or the helpline whether an exemption applies before you spend time getting an income certificate. The scheme’s contact page lists the district project officers who can answer such questions.

What it covers

CMCHIS is cashless. You do not pay the empanelled hospital for listed procedures; the hospital claims from the scheme. Benefits depend on package rules and approved procedures, so a higher ceiling does not mean every bill is automatically covered. Check whether your treatment is a listed package before admission.

CMCHIS is run together with the Union government’s Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in Tamil Nadu, so eligible families use one card for both rather than enrolling separately. The scheme was referred to as Kalaignar Kaappittu Thittam under the previous government, and it remains an ongoing scheme in the 2026-27 revised budget, according to an analysis of the budget by IMPRI. The Health and Family Welfare department’s revised allocation for the year is Rs 23,357 crore.

How to enrol in Chennai

Enrolment happens at the CMCHIS card-issuing kiosk in the District Collector’s office. Chennai residents use the kiosk at the Chennai district collectorate. Take:

an annual income certificate from your Village Administrative Officer (VAO), unless you fall in an exempt group
the original family (ration) card and a photocopy
Aadhaar cards of family members
a self-declaration by the head of the family, if asked

Your details and photograph are taken at the kiosk and a card is generated. Photograph it on your phone as soon as you get it. If you lose the card, go back to the kiosk with your ration card, or ask the helpline how to retrieve your record, rather than paying an agent to “reissue” it.

Finding an empanelled hospital in Chennai

Government medical college hospitals and a large number of private hospitals take CMCHIS patients, but empanelment varies by speciality and changes over time. The safest route is the official list: on cmchistn.com, open the Empanelment tab, then Empanelled Hospital List, and filter by Chennai district. At the hospital, look for the CMCHIS or insurance desk, often staffed by a scheme liaison officer who handles pre-authorisation.

The scheme’s toll-free number is 1800 425 3993 (DT Next). Use it to confirm whether a hospital is empanelled for your procedure, to check your enrolment and to complain if a hospital asks for payment on a covered package.

What the Rs 25 lakh announcement means for you

If your family is already enrolled, you should not need to re-register to benefit from a higher limit, but watch for the government order and operational instructions. Until an order is published, a hospital billing desk may still apply the old limit, so ask the insurance desk in writing which ceiling it is using for your admission. Separately, the government announced a Chief Minister’s Elderly Health Insurance Scheme for people aged 70 and above without an income limit in the Assembly on 17 August (Deccan Chronicle); that is a different scheme with its own rules still to be published.

Quick answers

What is the CMCHIS income limit?

Annual family income below Rs 1.20 lakh, with exemptions for some groups. Confirm your case with the kiosk or helpline.

Has the Rs 25 lakh cover started?

It was announced on 19 August 2026. We could not find a notified start date; check with 1800 425 3993.

Where do I enrol in Chennai?

At the CMCHIS kiosk in the Chennai district collectorate, with your ration card, Aadhaar and VAO income certificate.

How do I check if a hospital accepts CMCHIS?

Use the empanelled hospital list on cmchistn.com or call the toll-free line.

For decisions about treatment, consult your doctor; for coverage questions, rely on the scheme helpline rather than hospital billing desks alone.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.