PM Health Card: Citizens can now verify eligibility through CNIC SMS service

ISLAMABAD: In a recent development, now all citizens can easily know whether they are eligible for treatment under the Prime Minister Health Card Program.

To check their eligibility, send your National Identity Card Number (CNIC) to 8500 via SMS, or visit the official website and enter your CNIC.

The program provides treatment facilities in government and private hospitals across the country. The complete list of participating hospitals is available on the program website.

The most important condition in the eligibility criteria is that the applicant belongs to a low-income family and his CNIC is registered with NADRA.

Government employees and people residing abroad are generally not eligible. However, those eligible for the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) are automatically included.

Under the health card, secondary treatment facilities up to Rs 50,000 and tertiary treatment facilities up to Rs 250,000 are available per year for each family. Treatment in selected hospitals will be free and the patient will also get a travel allowance of up to Rs 350 during the treatment.

The documents required to apply include the original National Identity Card, Health Card (if available) and B Form or Marriage Certificate for children. Eligible patients will pay only 50 percent of the cost of treatment, the remaining 50 percent will be borne by the Punjab government.