Finances

Funding Schemes for Cancer patients

Point of Comparison

Swasthya Sathi Scheme

West Bengal Health Scheme
HMCPF (Health Minister’s Cancer Patients Fund)
HMDG (Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant)
CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme)
National Health Protection Scheme (PMJAY)

Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund

Chief Minister’s Relief Fund

Category of Funding Scheme

State Government
State Government
Central Government
Central Government
Central Government
Central Government
Central Government
State Government

Organisation Name

Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal
Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India

Chief Minister’s Office, Government of West Bengal

Type of Cancers and Therapies Covered

All types of cancers
All types of cancers
All types of cancers
All types of cancers
All types of cancers
All types of cancers
All types of cancers
All types of cancers

Scheme Eligibility

Permanent residents of West Bengal – Not enrolled in any other scheme
West Bengal government employees, Superannuated employees and Family pensioners
BPL families – Treatment in Regional Cancer Centers (RCCs) only
Annual family income ≤ INR 1,25,000

Retired central govt. employees, pensioners, freedom fighters, and dependents

BPL families under SECC criteria
Indigent patients with major diseases
Permanent residents of West Bengal – Family income ≤ INR 1,20,000

Scheme Details

Cashless treatment for all pre-existing diseases, paperless process, smart card
Cashless medical treatment for employees and pensioners
Financial assistance for treatment in RCCs, up to ₹2,00,000

Assistance for treatment in government hospitals

Cashless treatment for central govt. employees, outpatient and inpatient services
Up to ₹5 lakh for BPL families for hospitalization
Partial coverage for heart surgery, kidney transplant, cancer
Financial assistance for medical treatment expenses

Scheme Coverage

INR 5 lakh per annum per family for secondary and tertiary care
Cashless indoor treatment up to ₹1 lakh (for private empanelled hospitals)
INR 2 lakh per treatment cycle
Up to INR 1.25 lakh, depending on treatment cost
Cashless treatment for empanelled hospitals
₹5 lakh per family per year for hospitalization
Partial coverage for treatment in empaneled hospitals
N/A

Documents Required

Swasthya Sathi Smart Card
Service ID card
Citizenship documents, income certificate etc.
Application form, income certificate, ration card
CGHS health card
Biometrics, NHP card
Application, medical certificate, income proof
Treatment papers, income certificate, recommen
dation from elected representatives

Cap/Limit (if any)

₹5 lakh per family per annum
₹1 lakh for private hospital treatment
₹2 lakh per treatment cycle
₹75,000 to ₹1.25 lakh depending on treatment cost
Based on salary level (INR 250-1000 monthly)
₹5 lakh per family per year
No specific cap
No specific cap

Contact Details

Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata Tel: 2475-9313/2475-8057

Remarks

Online smart card-based, real-time monitoring of treatment

Limited to state government employees and pensioners

Only available at designated RCCs for BPL patients

Application requires documents from government hospitals
Covers both outpatient and inpatient services
Covers hospitalization and major surgeries, including cancer treatment
Provides partial coverage for major diseases like cancer
Assistance for economically distressed residents

Key Observations:

•Swasthya Sathi and WBHS are state-run schemes, targeting low-income residents and government employees in West Bengal. Both offer significant financial assistance for cancer treatments, with cashless services for Swasthya Sathi and reimbursement for WBHS.
•HMCPF provides up to ₹2 lakhs for BPL families for treatment at designated cancer centers, but non-BPL individuals and those already employed by the government are ineligible.
• HMDG offers financial support for low-income cancer patients in government hospitals, with a tiered system of support based on treatment costs (₹75,000 to ₹1,25,000).
• CGHS offers cashless treatment for central government employees and pensioners, including for cancer, but is restricted to central government personnel.
•PMJAY (National Health Protection Scheme) provides free healthcare for BPL families, offering coverage for hospitalization and surgeries including cancer care.
•The PM National Relief Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund provide emergency financial support for major illnesses, including cancer, but they focus on financial need and emergency treatment rather than ongoing care.

This comparative table gives a clear understanding of which scheme is most applicable depending on the eligibility of the individual, the level of financial support available, and the treatment settings (private hospitals vs. government hospitals).

Crowdfunding Platforms

List of Crowdfunding platforms for cancer patients –

Platform Name

Impact Guru
Ketto
Milaap
GiveIndia
BeDonor

Category

Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding
Charitable Giving Platform
Crowdfunding

Target Users

Individuals, organizations, healthcare providers
Individuals, healthcare providers, NGOs
Individuals, NGOs, healthcare institutions
Individuals, NGOs, corporate organizations
Individuals, institutions, and NGOs

Scheme/Service

Medical emergency, surgery, cancer treatment
Medical emergency, surgery, cancer treatment
Medical treatment, cancer care, emergency treatment, surgeries
Medical treatment, cancer-related expenses, healthcare emergencies
Medical conditions, cancer treatment, education, disaster relief

Platform Details

No loans, no payback, flexible timeline
Crowdfunding for medical emergencies, easy access to raise funds
Effortless setup, mobile app integration for easy tracking and promotion
Trusted platform for donations, also offers corporate giving and cause marketing
Global platform for raising funds for medical emergencies and other causes

Funds Raised

Varies by campaign
Varies by campaign
Varies by campaign
Varies by campaign
Varies by campaign

Payment Model

Donor and campaign fees
Platform and payment processing fee
No setup fee, fees on transaction
No upfront cost for setting up campaigns
Donor and platform fees

Platform Fees

5% platform fee + 2% payment gateway charge
5% platform fee + 2% payment gateway charge
5% platform fee + 2% payment gateway charge
No fees on donations, small transaction fees
5% platform fee + 2% payment gateway charge

Donor Engagement

Engage through social media sharing, email, SMS updates
Easy social mediaEasy social media integration for donor outreach
Integration with social media, mobile app to engage donors
Donor tracking, easy donation process
Social media engagement, donor feedback features

Withdrawal Process

Funds are transferred directly to the hospital, medical institution, or beneficiary’s bank account
Direct bank transfer or hospital account transfer
Funds transferred to designated hospital or beneficiary
Funds are transferred to beneficiary’s bank account
Funds directly transferred to the beneficiary

Additional Features

No cost for setting up, free consultations, social media integration for sharing

Extensive donor tracking, recurring donations feature, easy management
Options for installment-based fundraising, tax benefits on donations
Options for corporate partnerships, tax-exempt donations
International reach, multi-currency support, wide network of donors

Summary:
• ImpactGuru offers a no payback, no loan model and is great for social media sharing with direct transfers to hospitals.
• Ketto is known for easy access to raise funds, strong social media engagement, and corporate partnerships.
• Milaap provides a mobile-friendly platform, social media integration, and tax benefits for donations, making it easy to manage.
• GiveIndia is a trusted charity platform offering corporate partnerships, and is focused on transparent donations.
• BeDonor stands out for its global reach, multi-currency support, and a wider donor network.

Each platform has its unique features, making them suitable for different kinds of fundraising campaigns depending on your needs and target audience.

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