NEHS Pensioners' Problems: TGPJAC Asks Chief Secretary for an Urgent Meeting (11 Demands)
Cards that won't download, hospitals that say "no", and a 1.5% cut from pension. Here is what pensioners want fixed, in plain words.
Last updated: 7 October 2026 | By Zishu, Public Policy Researcher | Source: TGPJAC letter dated 6 Oct 2026
Bottom Line (Quick Summary)
On 6 October 2026, the Telangana Govt. Pensioners' Joint Action Committee (TGPJAC) asked the Chief Secretary for a special meeting to fix NEHS problems. This is a request letter, not a government order. Nothing changes for you until the government issues orders.
- Main complaints: NEHS cards not downloading or showing wrong details, hospitals refusing or charging extra, wellness centres without doctors or medicines.
- Main money issue: 1.5% has been cut from pension since May 2026, but pensioners say the cards are not working properly.
- Main ask: an official empanelled hospital list, strict action on hospitals that refuse, an opt-out option, and refund of own-pocket bills from 1 June 2026.
- What you should do now: keep every bill and report safe. See the 5-step checklist.
What Is This Letter About?
TGPJAC wrote to the Chief Secretary of Telangana to say that NEHS is not working on the ground the way the government promised. The letter says the government announced the New Employees Health Scheme (NEHS), formed a special trust board and held talks with hospital managements. But TGPJAC says what was discussed and what happens in hospitals are two different things, and no clear orders are being followed.
The committee asks for one thing first: a special meeting with pensioner representatives and the officers concerned, so that pensioners' problems can be heard and solved. The letter is signed by Chairman K. Laxmaiah and Secretary General Tulasi Satyanarayana.
New to the scheme? Start with our guide on how to create your ABHA number and download the EHS health card.
What Problems Are Pensioners Facing?
The letter groups the problems into three areas. Every point below is a complaint made by TGPJAC, not a verified finding.
| Area | What pensioners report | Effect on you |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Health cards | Cards do not download. Name, photo, date of birth or spelling is wrong. Spouse name sometimes not taken. A third person is not accepted as dependent. Some officers (STO/APPO) reject parents, unmarried daughters, widowed daughters and disabled children as dependents, saying they have no orders. | You cannot show a correct card at the hospital counter. |
| 2. Hospitals | No listed hospital treats on the NEHS card without trouble. Patients are told to pay 40% to 80% over the package rate. Some hospitals advertise NEHS, then charge for OP and tests, and trouble the patient after admission. Others say "no beds" or "your disease is not on the list". | Large out-of-pocket bills, sometimes in lakhs. |
| 3. Wellness centres | Government said wellness centres would start in all districts, but only 12 work now. Some run from small 10 ft x 12 ft rooms. Doctors, staff, test equipment and medicines are missing. Staff are often busy on phones. Medicines and tests have to be bought outside. | Elderly patients travel far, then pay again outside. |
Not verified: These are the committee's claims in its letter. We have not independently checked each hospital or wellness centre. If you face a similar problem, your own bills and written proof are the strongest evidence.
A Day in the Life (Illustrative Example)
Example only. This is a made-up scenario built from the problems in the letter, not a real person.
A retired teacher, 72, has chest pain. His son drives him to a hospital that shows "NEHS" on its signboard. At the counter he is told the card is "not working today" and he must first deposit a large amount. He tries the card on his phone: the photo is wrong and the date of birth has a spelling error. The wellness centre near his home has one nurse and no medicines. He pays from his savings.
This is exactly the gap TGPJAC says it wants closed: one wrong detail, one unclear order, one refused admission, and an elderly person pays the price.
The 11 Demands in Simple Words
TGPJAC listed 11 points for the government to look at urgently. Here they are, explained in plain language.
| # | Demand | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fix the software for entering card details and downloading cards, with proper instructions. | Wrong or missing cards stop treatment at the first step. |
| 2 | Clear orders on dependents to DTO/STO/APPO: parents, children, unmarried and widowed daughters, and children with disability or mental disability, as allowed under the old EHS. | Officers cannot reject family members without a rule to cite. |
| 3 | Publish the empanelled hospital list officially, give written guidelines to admit pensioners at once, warn of strict action, and cancel recognition of hospitals that refuse. | Hospitals say they have received no government instructions. |
| 4 | Give an "option" instead of compulsory cover for people who do not need it (three cases explained below). | Some pensioners already have cover elsewhere. |
| 5 | Remove the wellness centre link. Let pensioners go directly to empanelled hospitals for OP, tests and treatment. | Trips of 10 to 200 km are not possible for sick, elderly people. |
| 6 to 9 | Give health cards to pensioners of listed bodies (full list below). | Many retired staff are still outside the scheme. |
| 10 | Refund own-pocket treatment bills from 1 June 2026 out of trust funds, since 1.5% is being deducted from May 2026 while cards and hospitals do not work properly. | Pensioners pay the cut and the hospital bill. |
| 11 | Appoint enough staff to guide affected pensioners, alert round the clock (24 hours). | Someone must pick up when a pensioner is stuck at a counter. |
The letter ends with a plea: look at these points with a humane view, act quickly, and punish those who harass patients or collect extra money, on behalf of lakhs of pensioners in Telangana.
Today (as reported)
- Wrong card details, no clear dependent rules
- Hospital says "no orders from government"
- Wellness centre first, hospital later
- 1.5% cut, plus own money for treatment
What TGPJAC wants
- Corrected software and clear dependent orders
- Official hospital list and written guidelines
- Direct access to empanelled hospitals
- Option to opt out, and refund from 1 June 2026
The 1.5% Deduction and the "Option" Demand
What is the 1.5% deduction?
According to the letter, the government has been deducting 1.5% from pensioners' pension since May 2026. TGPJAC says pensioners are paying this, yet new cards are not being issued, old cards are not working and hospitals are not cooperating.
Who wants the option, and why?
- Pensioners living far away: elderly people who stay with children in other states or abroad cannot travel around Hyderabad and its wellness centres for treatment.
- Couples who both work or draw pension: a Central Government employee can show a spouse as dependent. TGPJAC asks why a spouse should pay 1.5% again under the state scheme, and wants an option.
- Parents covered by working children: if a child shows the parents as dependents, TGPJAC asks that the 1.5% cut on the parent's pension stop, if the parent opts out.
Which Pensioners Still Have No Health Card?
TGPJAC asks that health cards and all facilities be given to pensioners from these groups:
- Agriculture Market Committees
- Zilla Granthalaya Samsthas (district libraries)
- Aided institutions, including aided schools, colleges and other grant-in-aid bodies
- Sports Authority of Telangana
- Non-teaching staff of all universities in Telangana
- Intermediate Board
- Residential institutions and societies
- Vaidya Vidhana Parishath
- All other government pensioners who draw pension from departmental funds
Reader note: The scanned PDF for points 6 to 9 is hard to read. We summarised them from the English list printed in the letter. Please check the original letter with TGPJAC for the exact wording.
Our Analysis: Where the Real Gap Is
Reading the letter as a whole, most complaints are about implementation, not about the idea of the scheme. We see three gaps that repeat across the 11 points:
- A paper gap: no clear written order on dependents, hospital admission or the empanelled list. Officers and hospitals both say "we have no instructions".
- A distance gap: wellness centres are few, thin on staff and far away, but the process routes patients through them.
- A trust gap: the 1.5% is collected from the pension in advance, while the benefit is uncertain.
This is our reading of the letter, not an official finding. If the government answers with written orders on the first point alone, many of the other problems may ease.
What You Can Do Now (5-Step Checklist)
- Check your card details. Name, photo, date of birth, spouse and dependents. Take a screenshot of any error.
- Create your ABHA number if the card shows N/A. Follow our ABHA step-by-step guide.
- Keep every bill, report and discharge summary from 1 June 2026 onward. If a refund is approved, this is your proof.
- Ask for the refusal in writing. If a hospital refuses NEHS or asks for extra money, ask politely for the reason in writing, and note the date, hospital and name of the person.
- Report it. Inform your department officer and your pensioners' association so cases can be raised with the right office.
Facing This Problem? Don't Stay Silent
Share your case with your pensioners' association and keep proof ready. Share this post with a fellow pensioner or family member who may be struggling with an NEHS card.
Looking for a hospital? Check the NEHS hospital directory
Helpdesk and Official Links
- TGPJAC office (from the letterhead): 1st Floor, H.No. 6-2-647 (HIG-36), Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad-500 070
- TGPJAC phone and email: 040-24020104, 8247628945, laxmaiah8611@gmail.com
- Your department officer / DTO / STO: first point of contact for card and dependent errors
- Official EHS portal: use only the official government EHS website for login and card download
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TGPJAC letter about?
On 6 October 2026, TGPJAC wrote to the Telangana Chief Secretary asking for a special meeting with pensioner representatives to fix NEHS problems: card errors, hospital refusals, wellness centre gaps and the 1.5% pension deduction.
Is this letter a government order?
No. It is a request from a pensioners' association. It changes no rule by itself. Changes happen only when the government issues orders.
What do pensioners say about hospitals refusing NEHS cards?
The letter says some hospitals refuse the card, claim no beds, refuse admission at government rates, or ask for 40% to 80% extra. TGPJAC wants the empanelled list published officially and strict action on hospitals that refuse.
What is the 1.5% deduction mentioned in the letter?
It is the amount the letter says has been cut from pensioners' pension since May 2026. TGPJAC asks for an option to stop it in some cases, such as when a spouse or child already covers the pensioner.
Can pensioners get money back if they paid for treatment themselves?
TGPJAC has asked for reimbursement from trust funds for own-pocket treatment from 1 June 2026. This is a demand, not an approved decision. Keep all bills safe.
Why does TGPJAC want the wellness centre link removed?
The letter says some centres lack doctors, medicines and equipment, and elderly pensioners may travel 10 to 200 km for OP and tests. TGPJAC wants direct access to empanelled hospitals.
Source, Method and Disclaimer
Source: TGPJAC representation to the Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, dated 6 October 2026 (Telugu, 3 pages with annexure). We read the letter, summarised it in English and kept the committee's claims separate from our own analysis.
Disclaimer: This page is for information only. It is not an official government site and not legal, medical or financial advice. The letter shows the views of a pensioners' association. Rules, rates and refunds can change, so confirm with your department or the official EHS portal. We will update this post if the government responds.
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