Fixed Medical Allowance for UPS Pensioners: Rs 1,000 a Month

Yes. If you retire under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and live outside a CGHS-covered area, you now qualify for the Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) of Rs 1,000 a month, on the same terms as old-pension and NPS pensioners. The benefit was extended by a Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare (DoPPW) order dated 13 March 2026.

Short on time? Jump straight to “How to claim FMA in 5 steps” below. You only need a one-page self-declaration.

FMA is a flat monthly payment for pensioners who do NOT use CGHS out-patient (OPD) care, usually because they live outside a CGHS city. It is meant to cover routine doctor visits and medicines. You cannot take both CGHS OPD and FMA at the same time.

The rule is simple. If you do not draw CGHS OPD benefit, you can draw FMA instead. Where you live decides the default, but your actual choice decides the payment.

The change came through DoPPW Office Memorandum No. 04/07/2020-P&PW(D)/6455, dated 13 March 2026. It says Central Government employees covered by the Unified Pension Scheme, taken as an option under the National Pension System, are eligible for the Fixed Medical Allowance on the same terms as NPS-covered employees.

This order does not create a new allowance. It closes a gap. FMA already applied to NPS pensioners through earlier DoPPW orders dated 6 December 2023 and 7 February 2025. UPS became operational on 1 April 2025 as an option alongside NPS, so a fresh clarification was needed to confirm UPS retirees also get FMA. The 13 March 2026 order does exactly that.

Note: the order extends eligibility, not the rate. The OM text itself does not restate the rupee amount; the rate comes from the standing FMA scheme.

The long-standing FMA rate for Central Government pensioners is Rs 1,000 per month. This is the amount UPS pensioners will receive once their claim is approved. It is paid along with your pension.

A pending recommendation, not yet approved: the Departmental Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC), in its 110th Report, recommended raising FMA from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 a month. As of June 2026 this is only a recommendation. It has not been notified and is not in force. Do not plan around Rs 3,000. Until a fresh order is issued, the payable rate stays Rs 1,000.

For a wider view of how UPS sits next to the old scheme, see Old Pension Scheme vs NPS comparison.

You can claim FMA if all of these are true:

• You are a Central Government pensioner under UPS, NPS, or the old pension scheme.
• You live in an area not covered by a CGHS dispensary, or you do not use CGHS OPD.
• You are not drawing any other fixed medical allowance for the same period.

You are NOT eligible if:

• You use CGHS OPD facilities. You must choose one, not both.
• You are still in service. FMA is for pensioners, not serving staff.
• You already get a similar OPD reimbursement under another scheme for the same months.

1. Confirm you are outside CGHS OPD coverage, or that you have opted out of CGHS OPD. This is the core condition.
2. Fill the FMA self-declaration form. It states that you reside in a non-CGHS area and do not avail CGHS OPD. FMA is granted on this self-certification; you do not need bills.
3. Attach your PPO (Pension Payment Order) number and a copy of your pension account details so the office can link the payment.
4. Submit the declaration to your pension disbursing bank or to your last office or department dealing with pension, as applicable to you.
5. Track the credit in your next pension statement. FMA should appear as a separate Rs 1,000 line along with your pension.

If your declaration is sitting unactioned, you can push it. Use the AI RTI Drafter to draft a quick query, or read how to file an RTI for pension delay.

• FMA self-declaration form, signed.
• PPO number and pension account details.
• Address proof showing you live outside the CGHS area (only if your office asks).
• Nothing else. You do NOT need medical bills, prescriptions, or doctor certificates. FMA is a fixed allowance, not a reimbursement.

• Claiming both CGHS OPD and FMA. This is not allowed. Pick one.
• Expecting Rs 3,000. The Rs 3,000 figure is only a DRPSC recommendation and is not in force. The payable rate is Rs 1,000.
• Submitting bills. FMA needs only a self-declaration, not expense proof.
• Assuming UPS was always covered. UPS pensioners became clearly eligible only from the 13 March 2026 order. If you retired earlier under UPS, file your declaration now.
• Sending the form to the wrong office. Confirm whether your bank or your old department processes FMA for your case before you submit.

Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak retired in May 2025 under the Unified Pension Scheme. He lives in a small town with no CGHS dispensary, so he never used CGHS OPD. For months he assumed FMA was only for NPS and old-pension retirees.

After the DoPPW order of 13 March 2026, he filled the one-page self-declaration, attached his PPO number, and submitted it to his pension bank in April 2026. From the next month, Rs 1,000 began appearing in his pension credit as a separate FMA line. He filed no bills and visited no office. Total out-of-pocket cost: zero.

Yes. The DoPPW order dated 13 March 2026 (OM No. 04/07/2020-P&PW(D)/6455) confirms that UPS pensioners get FMA on the same terms as NPS pensioners. The condition is the same as for everyone: you must not use CGHS OPD.

The standing rate is Rs 1,000 a month. A Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC 110th Report) has recommended raising it to Rs 3,000, but that has not been approved or notified. Until a new order is issued, the payable amount is Rs 1,000.

No. FMA is meant for pensioners who do not use CGHS out-patient care. You must choose one. If you draw CGHS OPD benefit, you cannot also draw FMA for the same period.

No. FMA is a fixed allowance granted on self-declaration. You only file a signed declaration stating you live outside the CGHS area and do not use CGHS OPD. You do not attach bills, prescriptions, or doctor certificates.

Yes. The 13 March 2026 order clarifies eligibility for UPS pensioners. If you meet the no-CGHS-OPD condition, file your self-declaration now. Ask your pension office whether arrears apply from your date of eligibility.

File an RTI or a grievance. You can lodge a complaint on CPENGRAMS for pension grievances, or use the First Appeal Builder if an RTI reply is missing or evasive.

• Check today whether you use CGHS OPD. If not, you likely qualify for FMA.
• Download and sign the FMA self-declaration form this week.
• Submit it with your PPO number to your pension bank or department.
• Confirm your pension status first at pension status check 2026, and keep your life certificate current via Jeevan Pramaan life certificate.
• If the payment does not start, escalate with The RTI Playbook.

Sources: DoPPW Office Memorandum No. 04/07/2020-P&PW(D)/6455 dated 13 March 2026, read with earlier DoPPW OMs dated 6 December 2023 and 7 February 2025, as reproduced on government-staff portals (staffnews.in, govtstaff.com).

Disclaimer: This article is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. Rules, rates, and forms can change. Confirm the current FMA rate and procedure with your pension disbursing bank, your department, or the DoPPW before you act.