Dr NTR Vaidya Seva, formerly Dr YSR Aarogyasri: Rs 5 lakh cashless health cover in Andhra Pradesh (2026)

By Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak verified — Reviewed against official portals drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in and hmfw.ap.gov.in.

Before you read a single paragraph, run this quick check. If you can tick the boxes below, your family can most likely walk into an empanelled hospital in Andhra Pradesh and get treatment without paying at the counter.

This is the one thing that confuses families the most, so let us settle it before anything else. The Andhra Pradesh health scheme has carried several names because each state government has rebranded it.

• It began in 2007 as Rajiv Aarogyasri, launched by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
• The state renamed it Dr NTR Vaidya Seva in 2014.
• It became Dr YSR Aarogyasri around 2019 under the previous state government.
• Under the current Andhra Pradesh government, the mass health scheme for poor families again appears as Dr Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Vaidya Seva, shortened to Dr NTR Vaidya Seva. The live state portal now sits at drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in.

Both names still circulate. Older cards, hospital boards, and web pages may say Dr YSR Aarogyasri, while the current official trust and portal use Dr NTR Vaidya Seva. The scheme itself, the free cashless cover for poor families, has run without a break through every rename. If you hold a card under the old name, it does not stop working the day the letterhead changes. When in doubt about the exact current branding on your paperwork, confirm on the official portal or call the health helpline on 104.

The cover is designed so a poor family never has to sell land or borrow at heavy interest for a hospital admission.

• The base cover is Rs 5 lakh per family per year on a floater basis, which means the whole family shares the same annual pool.
• Treatment is cashless at empanelled network hospitals. The hospital raises the bill with the state trust, not with you.
• The scheme lists a wide set of treatments across cardiology, oncology, that is cancer care, nephrology and kidney transplants, neurology, and many surgical categories. The official portal keeps the current list of listed therapies.
• There is no separate premium for a poor family. The state pays for the cover.
• The scheme is converged with Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, the central government's Rs 5 lakh health cover, which means the same card can work outside Andhra Pradesh for national portability. Read more about the national scheme on our Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY guide.

You may also see figures as high as Rs 25 lakh quoted for high-cost tertiary procedures. The state has announced moves to enhance the cover toward that level for serious illness. Treat Rs 5 lakh as the confirmed base cover and check the current ceiling for a specific procedure on the official portal, because the exact enhanced limit and the list of procedures it applies to keep changing. Do not assume the Rs 25 lakh figure for your own case until the portal or the hospital desk confirms it for your treatment.

Eligibility follows the white ration card and a set of exclusion tests, not a fresh medical exam.

• Andhra Pradesh domicile. The family must live in the state and hold a white ration card issued there.
• Income below Rs 5 lakh a year. The scheme is meant for low income families. Households above this level are generally outside the base list.
• Land holding limit. Combined wet and dry land holding should not be above 35 acres.
• Asset checks. Families paying income tax above the threshold, owning more than one car, or otherwise outside the poor and vulnerable group are usually excluded.

If your whole family is in formal jobs with private insurance and a high income, you are likely outside this scheme. In that case, check whether a member is covered by the central Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme instead, since the two are converged in Andhra Pradesh for national portability. Workers in the unorganised sector should also register on the e-Shram portal for additional welfare benefits.

Picture a farming household in a district town. The father works his small field, the mother runs the home, and they have set aside a little for their son's college. One evening the father collapses with severe chest pain. The doctor says he needs an angioplasty, and the private hospital estimate is close to Rs 1.8 lakh. The family has no insurance and no such savings.

Without the scheme, this night has one ending. They mortgage the land, borrow from a lender at punishing interest, or take the father home and hope. A single admission pushes the family into years of debt.

Now the same night with a Dr NTR Vaidya Seva card. The family reaches an empanelled hospital, shows the card and an Aadhaar, and the hospital desk verifies eligibility and raises a pre-authorisation request. The angioplasty is done cashless. The family pays nothing at the counter for the covered package. The college fund stays untouched. That gap between the two versions of the night is the whole reason this scheme exists.

1. Confirm your name is in the list. Search on the official portal at drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in using your ration card or Aadhaar. If your name shows, you are a beneficiary.
2. Keep your ration card and Aadhaar linked. Most eligibility failures come from a mismatch between the ration card record and Aadhaar. Fix spelling or date errors before you need treatment. See our ration card status guide for correction steps.
3. Choose an empanelled hospital. The cover works only at network hospitals. Use the search-by-geography option on the portal to find the nearest one, both government and private.
4. Reach the Aarogyasri or Vaidya Seva help desk inside the hospital. Every empanelled hospital has a health coordinator or Mitra. Show the card and Aadhaar there.
5. Let the desk raise pre-authorisation. The coordinator files your case with the state trust for approval of the treatment package.
6. Get treated cashless. Once approved, you sign the records but do not pay the hospital for a covered package. Keep copies of every paper you sign.

Keep a printout and a phone photo of the ration card and Aadhaar. Carrying them saves hours at the hospital desk on the day you are anxious and short of time.

The scheme covers over 2,400 medical and surgical procedures across major specialties. The full list is maintained on the official portal and is periodically updated. Here are the major categories:

For the current, authoritative list of therapies and package rates, always check the Therapies section on drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in.

You do not need a physical card to use the scheme. Your eligibility is verified electronically at the hospital desk using your ration card number or Aadhaar. However, having a printed card or a digital copy speeds things up.

1. Visit drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in
2. Navigate to the Beneficiary Search or Health Card Download section
3. Enter your ration card number or Aadhaar number
4. Verify with the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile
5. Download and print the health card PDF

If you cannot find your name in the search, your family may not be in the current beneficiary database. Contact the nearest Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) or Gram Sachivalayam / Ward Sachivalayam volunteer, who can help verify and correct your records. You can also call the 104 helpline for assistance.

This is one of the most common questions, because the two schemes are converged in Andhra Pradesh but serve slightly different purposes.

In practice, if you are a Dr NTR Vaidya Seva beneficiary in Andhra Pradesh, you are automatically covered under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY as well. The state scheme handles treatment within AP, while PM-JAY kicks in when you need treatment in another state. For a full walkthrough of the national scheme, see our Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY guide or the Ayushman Bharat status check guide.

The Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust empanels both government and private hospitals that meet its infrastructure and quality standards. The list changes as hospitals are added or removed.

1. Go to drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in
2. Look for the Network Hospitals or Empanelled Hospitals section
3. Search by district, hospital name, or specialty
4. The result shows the hospital address, contact number, and specialties covered

Every empanelled hospital has an Aarogyasri help desk or Aarogyamitra — a dedicated coordinator who handles scheme-related paperwork. Ask for this desk the moment you arrive; they will guide you through verification and pre-authorisation.

• Your name is not in the list. First try every search option, since ration card and spelling mismatches are common. If you are truly not listed, check your eligibility against the income and asset rules, and correct the ration card if the household record is wrong. See our guide to adding a name to a ration card.
• Aadhaar does not match the ration card. Update the name or date of birth so the two records agree, then ask for re-verification.
• The hospital is not empanelled. A card does not work at a non network hospital except in a notified emergency. Use the portal list to find the nearest empanelled hospital before admission.
• Cashless treatment is refused at an empanelled hospital. Note the date, the staff name, and what was said. Raise it with the hospital coordinator and the state trust helpline on 104 in writing.
• Reports of service delays. There have been news reports of some private hospitals pausing services over pending payments from the state. This can affect availability for a while. Confirm the current status of a hospital on the portal or by calling 104 before you travel for a planned admission.

• Official portal: drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in
• AP Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare: hmfw.ap.gov.in
• Andhra Pradesh Government portal: ap.gov.in
• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY (national): pmjay.gov.in
• e-Shram (unorganised workers): eshram.gov.in
• Health helpline: 104 across Andhra Pradesh
• AP State Information Commission (for RTI appeals): see SIC Andhra Pradesh guide

When a call or a hospital visit leads nowhere, a written Right to Information request often moves the file, because the public authority then has to act or explain in writing. The Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust is a public authority under the RTI Act, so you have the right to ask about your case. Ask narrow, factual questions such as the status of your case, the officer handling it, the reason for any delay or refusal, and the date by which it will be settled. Most stuck cases get a clear answer within the statutory timeline once a formal application lands.

• Draft it in minutes: AI RTI Drafter
• Full filing and appeal process: The RTI Playbook
• Ayushman linked RTI help: RTI for a health scheme claim or card
• Full RTI walkthrough: Citizen's RTI Playbook

The scheme was launched in 2007 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh as Rajiv Aarogyasri, one of the earliest state run cashless health cover schemes in the country. It has been renamed by successive state governments, and under the current Andhra Pradesh government the mass scheme for poor families is presented as Dr NTR Vaidya Seva. It is run by the state health trust, now the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust, under the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh (hmfw.ap.gov.in). You can see it alongside other central and state welfare schemes on the All Sarkari Yojana index.

The scheme served as a model for similar state health schemes across India, including the Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana in Rajasthan and influenced the design of the national Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.

The historic name is Dr YSR Aarogyasri, and many cards and web pages still show it. Under the current Andhra Pradesh government the mass scheme appears as Dr NTR Vaidya Seva, and the official portal uses that name. The cover itself has continued through every rename.

The confirmed base cover is Rs 5 lakh per family per year on a floater basis. Higher limits have been announced for high-cost tertiary care (up to Rs 25 lakh for select procedures), so check the current ceiling for your procedure on the official portal.

A white ration card family in Andhra Pradesh with annual income below Rs 5 lakh and land holding not above 35 acres, subject to the asset exclusion tests. See the eligibility section and beneficiary table above for detail.

Yes. The cover is for hospital admission for a listed treatment. There is no separate premium test that excludes an existing condition for a poor family. Pre-existing diseases are covered from day one with no waiting period.

The state scheme works at empanelled hospitals within Andhra Pradesh. For treatment in another state, use the converged Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY cover, which is portable across India. See our Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY guide.

Record the date and staff name, raise it with the hospital coordinator and the 104 helpline, and if that fails, file an RTI to get a written answer on your case.

No. The scheme is entirely state-funded. Beneficiary families pay nothing — no premium, no registration fee, no card fee. If anyone asks you for money to enrol or to speed up a claim, that is corruption; report it to the 104 helpline or the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

You can seek a second opinion at another empanelled hospital. If you need to transfer mid-treatment, both hospitals must coordinate with the trust. Talk to the Aarogyamitra at your current hospital to initiate a transfer.

The core scheme covers inpatient hospital admission and the treatment package tied to it. Some follow-up medicines for chronic diseases like cancer and dialysis are covered under specific packages. Routine OPD visits and over-the-counter medicines are generally not covered. Check the specific therapy package on the portal.

The Rs 5 lakh floater is shared across the entire family for the year. If it is exhausted, the family must pay for further treatment that year. However, for certain high-cost procedures the enhanced cover (up to Rs 25 lakh) may apply — confirm with the hospital desk.

For most listed procedures, pre-authorisation is processed within 24 hours. Emergency cases may get provisional approval faster. If you have not heard back in 48 hours, escalate to the hospital coordinator and the 104 helpline.

Yes, if they are members of an eligible white ration card family. Age alone does not qualify or disqualify — the family must meet all eligibility criteria. See our senior citizens schemes guide for other welfare programs.

Dr NTR Vaidya Seva is free, has no waiting periods, covers pre-existing conditions from day one, and is cashless at empanelled hospitals. Private insurance requires premiums, has waiting periods for pre-existing conditions, and may have co-pays or sub-limits. If you can afford private insurance, consider it as a supplement — but the state scheme should be your first line of cover if you are eligible.

• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY Rs 5 lakh national health cover
• Chiranjeevi health scheme in Rajasthan
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission ABHA health ID
• PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission
• Janani Suraksha Yojana for safe delivery
• Ration card under the food security law
• PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana life cover
• Jan Dhan bank account for benefits
• e-Shram card for unorganised workers

• Status-check guides
• Check Ayushman Bharat status
• Check ration card status
• Helplines and grievance
• SIC Andhra Pradesh for RTI appeals
• Full RTI Playbook

This article is maintained by Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak, a public-policy researcher and RTI advocate with over a decade of experience helping citizens navigate government welfare schemes. The information here is compiled from official government sources and is reviewed regularly against the live portals listed below.

Editorial standards:

• All facts are checked against official .gov.in sources before publication
• The article is reviewed when scheme rules change or at least every 6 months
• No fees, commissions, or middlemen are involved in any information provided here
• If you spot an error, use the RTI Wiki contact page to report it

Official sources consulted:

• Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust — drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in (scheme rules, beneficiary search, hospital list, therapy packages)
• AP Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare — hmfw.ap.gov.in (departmental notifications, trust governance)
• Government of Andhra Pradesh — ap.gov.in (state government announcements and schemes)
• Press Information Bureau (PIB) — pib.gov.in (central government press releases on health scheme convergence)
• National Health Authority — pmjay.gov.in (Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY convergence details)
• Ministry of Labour and Employment — eshram.gov.in (e-Shram data convergence)
• Health helpline: 104, Government of Andhra Pradesh

• Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust, official portal: drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in
• AP Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare: hmfw.ap.gov.in
• Government of Andhra Pradesh: ap.gov.in
• Press Information Bureau, Government of India: pib.gov.in
• National Health Authority, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: pmjay.gov.in
• e-Shram, Ministry of Labour and Employment: eshram.gov.in
• Dr NTR Vaidya Seva scheme page, base cover Rs 5 lakh per family per annum floater
• News reports on the rename and on hospital service disruptions over pending dues, 2025 to 2026
• Health helpline: 104, Government of Andhra Pradesh

Last reviewed: 10 July 2026. Next review due: January 2027.