CGHS Medical Facilities Extend To Transgender Children And Siblings Regardless Of Age: MoHFW

The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) will now be available to central government employees’ siblings as well as transgender children. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) issued an office memorandum (OM) in this regard, with guidelines to extend medical facilities under the CGHS to dependent transgender children and siblings, irrespective of their age. According to the OM, dated September 16, 2025, such beneficiaries must be wholly dependent on the central government employee. In case of transgender children, one must have a certificate issued by the District Magistrate per the provision under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

It reads, “In compliance with the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, it has been decided to allow medical facilities under CGHS/CS(MA) Rules, 1944, to dependent transgender children/siblings of Central Government employees (serving/pensioner) irrespective of age.”

How Is Dependency Ascertained For The CGHS Benefit?

MoHFW’s latest OM referred to one of its previous OMs to explain the criteria for being considered a dependent. According to the OM dated November 8, 2016, a family member is considered a dependent for CGHS purposes if such a member’s income is less than Rs 9,000 plus the dearness relief per month. In this case, the CGHS covers medical facilities for the dependent family members of a central government employee.

What Does Family Mean For CGHS Facilities?

For CGHS, family means Spouse (husband or wife, as the case may be) and other dependent family members.

MoHWF has announced the change in the definition of the dependent family members for the purpose of extending CGHS facilities. Until this notification, dependent family members would include:

• Parents

• Sisters

• Widowed sisters

• Widowed daughters

• Minor brothers and minor sister

• Children and step-children who are wholly dependent on the government servant

• Dependent divorced or separated daughters and their dependent minor children

• Step-mother

Now, the latest notification permits not only minor siblings and sisters but all the dependent siblings, irrespective of age, to avail of CGHS facilities.

Age Limit For Children Other Than Transgender Children

The age limit remains for all children other than transgender children. As per rules:

A son can avail of CGHS facilities until he attains the age of 25 or starts earning or gets married, whichever is earlier. Similarly, a daughter can avail of CGHS benefits until she starts earning or gets married, whichever is earlier, but there is no age limit of 25 years, as in the case of sons.

While all these family members must fulfil the income criteria (less than Rs 9000 income per month), the spouse is exempted from meeting the income criteria as he or she is entitled to the family pension.