CAR-T Cell Therapy Package approved under RGHS
Patients suffering from serious blood cancers to benefit from advanced treatment
Government employees, dependent family members and pensioners covered
Jaipur, August 20. On the initiative of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, the State Government has taken a major decision towards ensuring health security for employees and their dependent family members by including advanced CAR-T cell therapy for cancer treatment among the approved packages under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS). With this decision, eligible RGHS beneficiaries will be able to avail themselves of this modern and expensive treatment for serious blood cancers. The decision is an important step towards expanding advanced cancer treatment facilities in Rajasthan and providing better healthcare services to beneficiaries.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said that the State Government is committed to providing modern, quality and accessible healthcare services. Incorporating CAR-T cell therapy in the approved packages under RGHS is a major relief for patients suffering from serious blood cancers and their families. He said that this will give great hope to patients battling serious illnesses such as cancer and relieve their families of financial concerns during difficult times. He added that ensuring the health security of employees and their dependent family members is among the government’s topmost priorities and RGHS is being increasingly strengthened to make it more robust, transparent and beneficiary-centric.
Pensioners to Also Benefit
The decision will benefit eligible RGHS beneficiaries as well as pensioners receiving medical facilities under the Rajasthan State Pensioners’ Medical Concession Scheme, 2021. In addition, beneficiaries receiving medical facilities through RGHS under the Rajasthan Civil Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 2013, will also be covered under this arrangement.
Package of Up to 30 Lakh rupees approved for the Therapy
Principal Secretary, Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, said that a package of up to 30 lakh rupees has been approved for CAR-T cell therapy. Of this, up to 26 lakh rupees have been earmarked for the cost of manufacturing CAR-T cells, while up to 4 lakh rupees have been allocated for supportive care and management of possible complications. Supportive care and complications management will include Tocilizumab, IVIG, hospitalisation and medicines for up to 30 days after discharge. This will provide eligible beneficiaries relief from the astronomically high cost of treatment and facilitate access to advanced cancer care in cases of serious illness.
Advanced Technology for Treating Serious Blood Cancers
According to medical experts, CAR-T cell therapy is an advanced form of immunotherapy. In this treatment, T-lymphocytes are extracted from the patient’s blood and modified in a laboratory so that they can recognise and effectively attack cancer cells. After undergoing the required quality testing, these modified cells are reintroduced into the patient’s body. The treatment is primarily used for certain types of leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, particularly in cases where the disease has recurred after standard treatment or has become resistant to treatment.
Eligibility to Be Determined by an Expert Committee
Medical experts said that this therapy is not suitable for every cancer patient. Therefore, eligibility will be determined by specialist doctors or an expert committee based on the type of cancer, previous treatment, the patient’s overall health condition and prescribed medical criteria. Before treatment, the necessary investigations, recommendation of the expert committee and the pre-authorisation process will have to be completed. The treatment will be provided at authorised centres equipped with trained specialists, continuous medical monitoring and the necessary ICU backup, in accordance with prescribed protocols.
Facility Based on International Standards
Chief Executive Officer of the Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency, Harji Lal Atal said that the State Government has recently issued guidelines to make cancer treatment more accessible and of higher quality under the RGHS scheme. These guidelines are based on internationally recognised medical standards with priority being given to the standards of NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), UK. This will help provide cancer patients with a more standardised and evidence-based treatment system.
Medical board process for expensive medicines now online
The Medical Board process related to approval of expensive medicines for cancer treatment under RGHS has also now been made online. Beneficiaries will no longer be required to visit the RGHS office for the Medical Board’s recommendation. The hospital will send the patient’s case online to Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur, through the RGHS portal. Patients from outside Jaipur will also not be required to travel to SMS Hospital, Jaipur, for the Medical Board’s recommendation. Based on the ECOG form and other required information, the Medical Board process will be conducted online through video calls.
This will save patients and their family members from unnecessary travel, time and expenses and help expedite the treatment process. In addition, a separate option for patient registration has been made available on the portal to ensure that cancer patients do not face any difficulty in accessing treatment.
