The Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care Scheme (HIMCARE) is a health-care initiative of the Himachal Pradesh government designed to provide financial protection to eligible families requiring hospital treatment. The scheme was introduced in January 2019, particularly to extend health coverage to families that were not covered under Ayushman Bharat or eligible for government medical reimbursement.
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What Is HIMCARE?
Under HIMCARE, eligible families can receive cashless treatment of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year at empanelled hospitals. The coverage works on a family-floater basis, meaning the available amount can be used by one or more eligible members of the family, subject to the scheme’s applicable conditions.
The official HIMCARE portal continues to list ₹5 lakh per family per year as the current coverage amount in 2026.
The scheme covers approved hospitalisation and treatment packages, including several secondary and tertiary healthcare procedures. Pre-existing conditions are also covered from the beginning of the policy period, subject to applicable exclusions and scheme conditions.
Who Can Benefit From HIMCARE?
HIMCARE primarily covers eligible families that are outside the coverage of Ayushman Bharat and certain government medical-reimbursement arrangements. Different beneficiary categories have different premium requirements.
Depending on the applicable category, beneficiaries can include economically vulnerable families and groups such as BPL families, certain workers, persons with disabilities and other eligible categories notified by the state government.
Importantly, the state amended HIMCARE rules in June 2025. New beneficiaries and fresh HIMCARE cards can be registered during March, June, September and December, with the policy generally remaining valid for one year.
What Treatment Does HIMCARE Cover?
The scheme provides cashless treatment for approved procedures at empanelled healthcare facilities. Coverage can include hospitalisation, defined day-care procedures and other treatments included in the approved package list.
The scheme also provides for pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses according to the applicable package conditions. However, beneficiaries should always confirm whether a particular treatment is included before undergoing planned treatment.
HIMCARE Premium and Registration
HIMCARE operates with different premium rates depending on the beneficiary category. Some eligible groups receive coverage without paying a premium, while other categories may have to pay an annual contribution.
Applicants can use the official HIMCARE system for services such as online enrolment, card renewal, checking enrolment status, downloading cards and finding empanelled hospitals.
Beneficiaries should keep their identification and other required documents ready during registration or renewal. They should also ensure that their family information is accurate on the card.
Important 2026 Update
In March 2026, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced plans to replace the existing HIMCARE arrangement with a new insurance-based model, citing concerns about irregularities in the existing scheme. However, the official HIMCARE system continues to operate and list ₹5 lakh annual family coverage in 2026.
Therefore, beneficiaries should distinguish between a proposed or announced future change and the scheme’s currently operational provisions.
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Conclusion
HIMCARE provides eligible Himachal Pradesh families with cashless health-care coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year at empanelled hospitals. Its purpose is to reduce the financial burden associated with hospital treatment for families outside other major government health-coverage programmes.
Because eligibility, premium categories, registration periods and scheme arrangements can change, beneficiaries should check their current status and applicable benefits before planned treatment.
This article is for general information. Eligibility, coverage and benefits are subject to the latest rules issued by the Himachal Pradesh government.
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