One more changes for Armed Forces Medical beneficiaries. Dependent Card will no more be accepted in any Military Hospital wef 01.02.2024. As per the letter circulated by IHQ, MoD (Army), a new document named Medical Entitlement Certificate (MEC) ver 2.0 alongwith Adhaar card as per revised format of AO 12/1980 will only be accepted for the purpose of treatment in any Military hospital. The issuing authority of the Dependent / medical card is also been revised and several other instructions are here. To know more kindly read the complete letter below.

Tele: 21411817/35004 Integrated HQ of MoD (Army)
Adjutant General’s Branch
Dte Gen of Medical Services (Army)
Defence Office Complex
‘A’ Block, 3^rd Floor, KG Marg
New Delhi – 110001

1B176782/Medical Entitlement/Ruling/DGMS-5B 18 Oct 2023

HQ Southern Comd (A)
HQ Eastern Comd (A)
HQ Western Comd (A)
HQ Central Comd (A)
HQ Northern Comd (A)
HQ South West Comd (A)
HQ ARTRAC
HQ Southern Comd (Med)
HQ Eastern Comd (Med)
HQ Western Comd (Med)
HQ Central Comd (Med)
HQ Northern Comd (Med)
HQ South West Comd (Med)

INTERIM MEDICAL ENTITLEMENT CARD FOR SERVING PERSONNEL DEPENDENTS
BENEFICIARIES ENTITLED TO MEDICAL / DENTAL TREATMENT
FROM SERVICE HOSPITALS

1. The Armed Forces through its med est provides comprehensive curative and preventive health care to the Service personnel & their dependents. The Army Medical Corps has its primary role of combat medical care through the Mil Hosps, Fd Hosps and unit MI rooms.

2. An ASEC review of AH (R&R) and BHDC had observed steep rise in number of dependents being treated and recommended to review the process of issue of dependent cards. The Dte Gen has also received complaints of fraudulently prepared dependent cards which have been utilised to avail medical services by several non-entitled members/ relatives of Service personnel.

3. Currently the card in use by dependents is as per appx ‘B’ of AO 74/75 which only governs the Travel Concession in Indian Airlines and not as per the authorised format given in AO 120/80, which is specific for medical attendance.

4. Henceforth, the Dependent Card as per AO 74/75 in vogue will not be accepted as dependent card for Medical Entitlement in hospitals wef 01 Feb 2024. Any dependent producing dependent card as per this format will be denied medical treatment wef 01 Feb 2024. The authorised format is as per AO 120/80 and Indian Navy & Indian Air Force hosps are also requested to accept this new format & reject the old one as above.

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5. Apropos, comprehensive revision of AO 120/80 is under process, encompassing the procedure for issue of cards, actions to be taken on loss of cards, checks and balances to ascertain dependency, etc. However, in the interim the Appx A of AO 120/80 has been amended. The format of the amended Medical Entitlement Certificate (MEC) is at Appx A to this letter.

6. The following aspects pertaining to issue of the MEC by the units/ Stn HQs is enumerated for strict implementation on priority.

(a) Issuing Auth
(i) CO/ Comdt of units not below the rank of Col will be the issuing auth of
MEC.

(ii) Stn Cdr/ Adm Comdt of Stn will be issuing auth for pers of smaller units commanded by Lt Col and below.

(b) Criteria of Dependency

(i) The definition for family of offrs and JCO/ OR is enumerated in Defence
Service Regulations – Regulations for the Medical Services of the Armed Forces-2010 (RMSAF-2010) (Copy at Appx B).

(ii) Income Criteria for parents The current income limit from all sources
of parents to be deemed as dependent is 9000/- per month as specified vide this Dte Gen letter No B/76785/Policy/Income Limit/DGMS-5B dt 18 Sep 2017 (copy at Appx C). Service personnel will deposit the Income Certificate of parents issued by Revenue Dept of District or Annual Income Certificate (AIS) as issued by the Income Tax Dept, which will be used to ascertain the income limit of parents.

(ii) Requisite Part II orders or Field Service Documents ascertaining the
relationship and dependency will be submitted with the application.

(iii) A self attested copy of Aadhar Card will also be submitted alongwith
original during initial registration and issue of MEC.

(iv) The issuing auth will scrutinize the submitted documents. OC of minor
units will check for all documents of unit pers and will fwd the documents to issuing auth in the Stn HQ.

(v) The issuing auth will issue the MEC on ascertaining correctness of
documents as per Appx A, where details of all dependents will be endorsed in a legible manner.

(vi) The number of original MEC cards will be equal to the number of
dependents endorsed on the MEC, so that each dependant has an indl card.

(vii) Any submission of falsified info by the Service personnel and failure to check for correctness by the issuing auth, is liable for administrative action as per Section 57 of Army Act 1950. Hence due diligence be followed during the issue of MEC.

(d) Validity The validity of the MEC will be for three years from the date of issue or till the date of promulgation of the Army Order on the subject, whichever is earlier.

7. HQ Comd (A) only

(a) Necessary instructions be issued to all units in the AOR for immediate implementation of issue of MECs by Issuing auths. Zone of responsibilities for Minor units be assigned acccrdingly. No representations/ complaints with respect to failure to produce MEC after 01 Feb 2024 and denial of treatment to the clientele will be entertained.
(b) However, treatment of emergency cases reporting to Mil hospitals will not be denied. Such cases will be admitted and treated. Hospitals will info the unit about such admission, which will process the MEC and fwd a copy of same on ASIGMA to the hospital. Fmn Cdrs should be instructed to take appropriate Adm action against non-complying units.
(c) Dependents will be required to carry the MEC along with a copy of Aadhar for verification by the hospital authorities, till such time that the Aadhar biometric terminals are established at the hospitals.
(d) Aadhar Biometric terminals for identification of the individuals will be introduced in due course.

8. HQ Comd (Med) only

(a) Necessary instructions be issued to hospitals in the AOR to stop accepting the existing dependent card with effect from 01 Feb 2024. Wide dissemination in the Stn/ AOR be carried out repeatedly
(b) However, medical attendance, admission and treatment in emergency cases will not be denied to dependents. Units of such cases will be given a signal for forwarding the MEC at the earliest by ASIGMA.
(c) Dependents will produce their MEC along with the copy of Aadhar card for verification (Aadhar card on Digilocker will also be accepted) till such time that the Aadhar Biometric terminals are installed by the Stn HQ authorities.
(d) Aadhar Biometric terminals, when made available, will be placed at hosp reception to verify the particulars as endorsed in the MECs produced at the time of admission.

9. Necessary instructions as deemed appropriate be issued to units in the AOR for strict implementation of issue of MEC in a time bound manner.

10, Relevant AO 120/80 is being amended.

11. This has the approval of competent authority.

(VS Grewal)
Col
Col Med (Health)
For DGMS (Army)

Format of Medical card and other details available here in the pdf format below :-

Revised-MEDICAL-ENTITLEMENT-CARD Download