Rajasthan adds CAR-T Cell Therapy to RGHS, covering govt staff and pensioners
Synopsis
Rajasthan has become one of the first states to formally include CAR-T Cell Therapy — a cutting-edge, genetically engineered cancer immunotherapy — in a public employee health scheme. The move under RGHS could shield government staff and pensioners from the massive out-of-pocket costs this treatment carries in the private sector.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan has added CAR-T Cell Therapy to approved packages under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) .
The benefit covers state government employees, pensioners , and their eligible dependent family members.
Pre-authorisation is mandatory before admission; approval requires evaluation by an expert team at SMS Hospital, Jaipur or an empanelled cancer centre.
Eligibility is based on individual medical condition and specialist recommendation — the therapy is not suitable for every cancer patient.
RGHS package rates are aligned with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) standards.
Advanced CAR-T Cell Therapy facilities are available at Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur .
The Rajasthan government has included CAR-T Cell Therapy in the approved medical packages under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS), expanding access to a cutting-edge cancer treatment for state government employees, pensioners, and their eligible dependent family members. The decision, announced on Wednesday, 19 August, was taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and is aimed at providing beneficiaries with specialised care for serious, life-threatening blood cancers.
What CAR-T Cell Therapy Is
CAR-T Cell Therapy is a highly specialised form of cancer immunotherapy that harnesses a patient's own immune system to target and destroy cancer cells. Under the procedure, T-cells are extracted from the patient's blood, genetically modified in a laboratory to recognise specific proteins on cancer cells, multiplied, and then infused back into the body. The therapy is primarily indicated for certain blood cancers — particularly in cases where the disease has relapsed after conventional treatment or has not responded to other therapies.
Notably, advanced facilities for CAR-T Cell Therapy are already available at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, making the state's largest public hospital a key delivery point for this treatment.
How RGHS Beneficiaries Can Access the Treatment
Accessing the therapy under RGHS will require beneficiaries to follow applicable scheme provisions and the oncology guidelines issued by the Rajasthan government on 6 June. Pre-authorisation will be mandatory before admission to an empanelled hospital. Approval will follow evaluation and recommendation by the expert medical team at SMS Hospital or an empanelled cancer centre.
Since the therapy is not suitable for every cancer patient, eligibility and treatment decisions will be based on individual medical condition, diagnosis, and specialist recommendation. Treatment costs will be covered according to applicable RGHS package rates, which are generally aligned with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) standards.
What the Government Said
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma stated that the health and safety of government employees and their families remain a top priority of the state administration. He said the inclusion of CAR-T Cell Therapy in RGHS packages would 'strengthen health security for beneficiaries requiring advanced cancer treatment,' according to officials.
Officials further noted that the decision is part of a broader effort to expand access to modern medical technologies within the RGHS framework and reinforce Rajasthan's healthcare infrastructure for patients requiring high-end, specialised cancer care.
Impact and Significance
The inclusion is expected to deliver significant financial and healthcare relief to eligible government employees, pensioners, and their dependent families who would otherwise bear the substantial out-of-pocket cost of CAR-T Cell Therapy — a treatment that can run into tens of lakhs in the private sector. This comes amid a broader national push to make advanced oncology treatments more accessible through government health schemes. Rajasthan's move positions it among the early state governments to formally integrate next-generation cell therapy into a public employee health plan.
Point of View
And if the reimbursement ceiling is set too low, empanelled hospitals may decline to offer the treatment under the scheme. The real measure of this policy will be how many RGHS beneficiaries actually receive CAR-T therapy in the next 12 months.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CAR-T Cell Therapy and why is it significant?
CAR-T Cell Therapy is a form of cancer immunotherapy in which a patient's T-cells are genetically modified to recognise and destroy cancer cells, then infused back into the body. It is primarily used for certain blood cancers that have relapsed or not responded to conventional treatment, and is considered one of the most advanced — and expensive — oncology interventions currently available.
Who is eligible for CAR-T Cell Therapy under RGHS in Rajasthan?
State government employees, pensioners, and their eligible dependent family members covered under RGHS are eligible to apply. However, eligibility for the therapy itself depends on the individual patient's medical condition, diagnosis, and recommendation by a specialised medical team — the treatment is not suitable for every cancer patient.
How can RGHS beneficiaries get CAR-T Cell Therapy approved?
Beneficiaries must seek pre-authorisation before admission to an empanelled hospital. The treatment will be approved after evaluation and recommendation by the expert team at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur or an empanelled cancer hospital, in line with the oncology guidelines issued by the Rajasthan government on 6 June.
Where is CAR-T Cell Therapy available in Rajasthan?
Advanced facilities for CAR-T Cell Therapy are available at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, which serves as a key delivery point under the RGHS framework.
How are treatment costs covered under RGHS for CAR-T therapy?
Treatment costs are covered according to applicable RGHS package rates, which are generally aligned with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) standards. Beneficiaries pay according to scheme provisions rather than private market rates, which can run significantly higher.
