The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has notified the “Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025,” along with its guidelines. This initiative, mandated by Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, aims to provide immediate and cashless medical care to road accident victims during the critical ‘golden hour’ and beyond, up to a specified limit.
The scheme seeks to ensure that all individuals injured in road accidents involving motor vehicles on any road receive timely medical attention without financial burden. To facilitate this, a dedicated Motor Vehicle Accident Fund has been established, drawing from contributions for insured vehicles and budgetary allocations for uninsured or hit-and-run cases.
Key Highlights of the Scheme and Guidelines
Eligibility:
- Any person who sustains injuries in a road accident involving a motor vehicle and requires hospitalization is eligible.
- Cashless treatment is provided for up to Rs. 1.5 lakh per victim for a maximum period of 7 days from the date of the accident.
- Benefits under this scheme will take precedence over any other Central or State Government medical schemes.
- Victims whose first hospitalization occurs more than 24 hours after the accident will not be eligible.
Designated Hospitals:
Treatment will be provided through designated hospitals, including those empaneled under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) that comply with the National Health Authority (NHA) guidelines for this scheme.
Non-designated hospitals can also provide immediate stabilization treatment upon registration with the NHA’s Transaction Management System (TMS).
Technology-Based Implementation
The scheme will be digitally implemented through a seamless electronic linkage between accident victim details, designated hospital information, treatment records, and standardized cost packages.
The NHA’s Transaction Management System (TMS) portal and MoRTH’s Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) application will be inter-linked to ensure efficient data transfer and tracking. The eDAR Victim ID will be mapped against the TMS Patient Registration ID.
Emergency Response and Hospital Admission
Victims can be transferred to the nearest designated hospital with or without police assistance.
The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) / 112 helpline can be used to report accidents, receive information about the nearest designated hospital, and trigger ambulance services (via 108 or State helplines).
Hospitals are mandated to initiate treatment and seek pre-authorization immediately upon a victim’s arrival.
For life-threatening conditions, full treatment packages (up to the Rs. 1.5 lakh limit for 7 days) will be unlocked on TMS even before police confirmation of the accident.
Police Verification and Fund Utilization
Local police officials are required to reach the accident spot, facilitate victim transfer, and fill preliminary eDAR details (to generate an eDAR victim ID) within 24 hours of a hospital receiving a TMS ID.
If police confirmation is not received within 24 hours (or 48 hours for life-threatening cases), the victim will be deemed discharged from the scheme. However, the cost of stabilization treatment (or full treatment for life-threatening cases up to limits) will still be covered.
Hospital claims will be settled by the State Health Agency (SHA) through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund Trust. Claims for accidents involving insured vehicles will be paid from contributions by general insurance companies, while uninsured or hit-and-run cases will be covered by Central Government funds.
Coverage Details
- The Rs. 1.5 lakh and 7-day coverage limits are cumulative across all hospitals treating a single victim.
- The cost of ambulance transportation from the accident site or between hospitals is covered.
- The cost of post-mortem procedures is not covered under the scheme.
- If police verification determines the patient is not a road accident victim, the individual will be liable for the entire treatment cost.
