Retired Employees Liberalized Health Scheme (RELHS) – All about RELHS, FAQs

RELHS stands for Retired Employees Liberalized Health Scheme. It provides medical facilities to retired Railway employees and their eligible dependent family members.

You should exercise your option for RELHS before retirement, preferably by submitting the RELHS Option Form to the Personnel Branch three months before retirement.

There are two options:

Option 1 – RELHS without FMA (Recommended):

Provides full medical facilities for life, at par with serving Railway employees, for the retired employee and dependent family members.

Option 2 – RELHS with FMA:

Provides Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) of ₹1,000 per month along with pension. Routine OPD treatment is not available in Railway hospitals under this option, except in emergencies or for chronic illnesses.

If you live in, or may shift to, a city where Railway healthcare facilities are available, RELHS without FMA is recommended.

FMA may be more suitable for a person who is permanently settling in a rural area where a Railway health facility is not available within 50 km.

Feature RELHS without FMA RELHS with FMA

Yes. A one-time amount equal to the last Basic Pay at retirement or a fixed amount based on 7th CPC level whichever is lower, is payable for joining RELHS. The amount is deducted from the retirement settlement/DCRG; no cash deposit is required

If you opt for RELHS with FMA, only one opportunity is available to come back to RELHS without FMA or vice versa. You will need to apply to the concerned Personnel branch for switching scheme option.

Your UMID Card will be auto-generated. You should download the HMIS App from the Play Store and log in using your UMID-registered telephone number. A separate physical card is not required, although a PVC print from the UMID portal may also be kept.

Eligible dependents should preferably be added before retirement like:

• Spouse
• All dependants as per extant rules

No. Treatment can be taken at any Railway Hospital/Health Unit anywhere in India, and not only at the Railway hospital at a particular location.

The following facilities are available, subject to the facility available at the particular hospital/Health Unit:

• OPD services
• In-patient services
• Specialist services
• Investigations services including laboratory tests
• Pharmacy services
• Referral services

IPD admission and treatment are free, including specialist services available through visiting specialists/case-to-case arrangements as required. Hospital diet if taken, may be chargeable based on prescribed rates and pay level.Benchmark Pay

X-ray, ECG, ultrasound, laboratory tests and CT/MRI where available. Free referral services from empanelled diagnostic centres are available.

The Railway doctor may refer the patient to an appropriate higher Railway hospital or empanelled facility.

Yes. All required medicines are provided free of cost to the patients.

If a medicine is not available in the hospital/Health unit, it may be indented or locally purchased by the CMS and provided, on a cashless basis to patients.

Yes.

• Separate queue for senior citizens above 80 years at OPD and Pharmacy
• Wheelchair assistance on request
• Annual Medical Examination on request
• Many hospitals have separate counters for registration and drug dispensing to • • RELHS beneficiaries
• RELHS beneficiaries more than 70 years of age, not availing FMA, can directly attend empanelled Hospitals for OPD consultation also

Yes. Railway has empanelled private hospitals for speciality and super-speciality and tertiary care where the required facility is not available in Railway hospitals. Latest list of empanelled HCOs can be accessed through HMIS app

Treatment directly at empanelled HCOs in emergency or treatment not available in Railway Hospitals through referral.

For planned treatment:

1. First attend the Railway Hospital OPD.
2. The Railway doctor will examine you.
3. In case of requirement of referral, a referral letter will be generated on HMIS.
4. Visit the empanelled hospital with your UMID and referral letter (physical copy or digital).
5. Treatment is provided on a cashless basis, as per MoU with empanelled hospital

A routine referral is valid for 30 days. Referral for cancer treatment is valid for 90 days.

Yes, in case of life threatening circumstances.

A few illustrative examples are:-

• Chest pain
• Stroke
• Accident
• Breathlessness
• Fracture
• Unconsciousness
• Any other life-threatening condition

Yes. In an emergency, a retired employee can directly approach any empanelled Railway hospital anywhere in India without a Railway referral.

After verification of identity using the UMID and OTP, the empanelled hospital will provide cashless emergency care, as per MoU with Railways. The facility is stated to be available 24×7, 365 days.

If you have paid for emergency treatment at a non-empanelled hospital, you should preserve:

* Original bills
* Discharge summary
* Investigation reports

The reimbursement claim should be submitted to the CMS Office of the registered location within six months of completion of treatment.

Planned treatment taken in a private non-empanelled hospital for elective cases is not eligible for reimbursement.

Only your UMID/eUMID is sufficient to enable your treatment. If beneficiary deems necessary, following documents may also be kept handy:-

* UMID Card/UMID details
* Aadhaar
* PPO copy
* Latest prescriptions
* Relevant medical records

It is recommended to keep digital copies in DigiLocker for easy access.

For chronic medicines, you should visit the hospital on any preferred working date every month and carry the previous prescription, if available.

Inform the concerned Railway medical authorities at least one week in advance so that medicines can be procured and made available when required.

Retired employees may keep the following numbers readily available

* Local Railway Hospital Casualty
* Local CMS Office
* HMIS Helpdesk Phone: 040-27788200, 07989347336, 07989349125, 07989298838, 07989342031

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Do not share or hand over your UMID Card/details to another person. Keep your UMID information secure.

For planned treatment, approach a Railway Hospital/Health Unit first. If the required facility is not available, the concerned authorities will make appropriate arrangements for treatment.

The list is displayed in HMIS app, at Railway Hospitals and is also available through the relevant Railway’s internet site. Since empanelment lists are subject to modifications, beneficiaries are advised to check with the local CMS Office for the current list and validity.

Before retirement, you should:

1. Submit the RELHS option form about three months before retirement.
2. Ensure the RELHS contribution is deducted from the settlement.
3. Ensure your UMID is generated.
4. Add eligible dependents to UMID.
5. Verify your registered mobile number.
6. Keep your PPO, Aadhaar and UMID details safely.
7. Keep digital copies of important documents.

For planned treatment: Railway Hospital first →→ Referral if required → Empanelled hospital.

For emergency:
(i) Go directly to nearest Railway Hospital → Carry/show UMID → Treatment.

(ii) If no Railway Hospital nearby, go directly to nearby empanelled Hospital → Carry/show UMID → Treatment started → Cashless basis if emergency confirmed by Railway Hospital
(iii) If no Railway or empanelled hospital nearby → Emergency treatment taken in no empanelled private hospital → Keep original documents → Submit claim to CMS Office within six months of availing treatment.