ECHS — the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme — is a Ministry of Defence scheme launched on 1 April 2003 that provides medical care to armed forces pensioners and their dependents through polyclinics and empanelled hospitals across India.
Who ECHS is for
ECHS covers ex-servicemen pensioners of the Army, Navy and Air Force, family pensioners and war widows, along with their eligible dependents — spouse, dependent children and dependent parents. Membership is tied to drawing a pension, and is recorded on an ECHS smart card.
How ECHS care is delivered
- Polyclinics — your first point of care for OPD consultations, entitled medicines and referrals. See the ECHS polyclinic directory.
- Empanelled hospitals — private and government hospitals empanelled for specialist and in-patient care on referral. Learn the difference in empanelled hospital vs polyclinic.
- Regional Centres & Station HQ — administer the polyclinics in their area.
The ECHS smart card
Beneficiaries are issued a 64 KB ECHS smart card that records entitlement and is used at polyclinics and empanelled hospitals. Read about the ECHS card types.
Getting your medicines
Entitled medicines are issued by the polyclinic pharmacy. When something is marked “NA” (not available), you can have it arranged and delivered to your home, and you may be able to claim reimbursement.
Frequently asked questions
What is ECHS?
ECHS (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) is a Ministry of Defence health scheme that provides medical care to armed forces pensioners and their dependents through a network of polyclinics and empanelled hospitals across India. It was launched on 1 April 2003.
Who is eligible for ECHS?
Ex-servicemen pensioners of the Army, Navy and Air Force, family pensioners, war widows and eligible dependents (spouse, dependent children and dependent parents). Membership is linked to drawing a pension.
Who runs ECHS?
It is administered by the Central Organisation ECHS under the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence, through Regional Centres and Station Headquarters.
How do ECHS members get medicines?
Through the pharmacy at their parent polyclinic. When a medicine is out of stock ('NA'), it may be arranged by local purchase or claimed via reimbursement — or you can have it delivered to your home.
Is ECHS free?
ECHS is contributory: members pay a one-time contribution (fixed by rank/pension) at the time of joining, after which treatment and entitled medicines are provided as per policy.
Need a medicine your polyclinic couldn’t provide? Upload your prescription for pharmacist-verified home delivery.