What this scheme offers
Military service doesn't come with employer-provided health insurance that continues cleanly into retirement the way some civilian jobs do, and a retired soldier settling anywhere in the country still needs ongoing, genuinely reliable healthcare — not just for service-related conditions, but for the entire range of things that come with ageing. ECHS was built to close that gap: cashless treatment at a network of over 400 ECHS polyclinics plus thousands of empanelled private and government hospitals nationwide, covering the veteran, their spouse, and dependent family members, for life. It isn't free in the sense of costing nothing ever — there's a one-time contribution at the point of retirement, calculated based on rank and years of service — but once that's paid, there's no further premium, no annual renewal, and no network restriction tying you to wherever you happened to retire.
Who is eligible
- All ex-servicemen (retired from Army, Navy, Air Force) who have paid the one-time ECHS contribution at retirement.
- Spouse and dependent family members of the ex-serviceman (children up to specified age limits, dependent parents in some cases).
- War widows and specific categories of dependants of deceased personnel, per DESW rules.
Documents required
- ECHS smart card (issued after contribution and enrollment)
- Discharge/retirement documents from service
- Aadhaar card
- Dependant proof (marriage certificate, children's birth certificates), for family coverage
How to apply
- At the time of retirement, pay the one-time ECHS contribution (amount depends on rank and pension) through your last unit or the nearest Record Office.
- Apply for your ECHS smart card at your nearest ECHS Polyclinic or online through the ECHS portal, submitting discharge documents and photographs.
- Once issued, use your smart card for cashless treatment at any ECHS polyclinic or empanelled hospital across India — no need to pay upfront and claim reimbursement for most listed treatments.
- For dependants, add them to your ECHS card by submitting the relevant relationship proof at your polyclinic.
- If you relocate, your ECHS coverage moves with you — simply register at the ECHS polyclinic nearest your new address.