Radiation therapy · Cost, insurance & government schemes
Radiotherapy is listed among the cancer-care procedures in the Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) Health Benefit Package for eligible families — but coverage isn't automatic. It depends on the package your empanelled hospital raises for your diagnosis, whether your family's annual cover is still available, and pre-authorisation approval before treatment starts. Here's what actually decides whether your radiation course is covered, and the exact process to apply.
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The short answer
Radiotherapy is listed among the cancer-care procedures in the PM-JAY Health Benefit Package for eligible families — so yes, it can be covered. But that listing alone doesn't guarantee your own course is covered in full. What actually decides it is the specific package your empanelled hospital raises for your diagnosis and technique, how much of your family's annual scheme cover is still available, and whether pre-authorisation is approved before treatment begins.
Your radiotherapy is delivered at an NABH-accredited partner centre; CION Cancer Clinics coordinates your treatment plan, your oncology team, and your PM-JAY paperwork throughout. This is general guidance based on published scheme guidelines, not a coverage promise for your specific case.
The sections below cover what's typically included, how empanelment works, the exact steps to apply, and the documents you'll need — a real process to follow, not just a headline answer.
Free eligibility check
Share your diagnosis and Ayushman card details (if you have them) and our scheme desk will confirm eligibility and empanelment before you decide anything — free, confidential, no commitment to start treatment.
Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY), run by the National Health Authority, is designed to give each eligible family cover of up to a defined annual limit for secondary and tertiary hospital care — and radiotherapy sits within its published list of covered cancer-care procedures. Whether your specific technique and hospital visit actually gets covered still depends on empanelment and the package your treating hospital raises, which is why checking before you start matters more than the scheme's existence alone.
What's typically covered
Indicative guidance only, as of August 2026, based on published PM-JAY (National Health Authority) guidelines. Ask our scheme desk to confirm exactly what applies to your diagnosis before you treat any row below as a guarantee.
| Aspect | Under PM-JAY guidelines* | What decides your case |
|---|---|---|
| External beam radiotherapy (3DCRT / IMRT / VMAT) | Listed among the covered cancer-care procedures for eligible families | The specific package your empanelled hospital raises for your diagnosis |
| Brachytherapy | Listed for select cancers, such as cervical cancer | Confirmed by your treating team at the empanelled centre |
| Planning, simulation & daily sessions | Bundled into the approved package when covered, not billed as separate extras | Verify exact inclusions with your scheme desk before treatment starts |
| Annual family cover | Up to the scheme's defined limit per eligible family per year | How much of this your family has already used earlier in the year |
| Cashless benefit | Applies only when treatment happens at a PM-JAY-empanelled hospital | Whether your chosen partner centre currently holds empanelment for your technique |
*Indicative, as of August 2026, based on published PM-JAY (National Health Authority) guidelines. This is general guidance, not a coverage guarantee for your specific diagnosis or technique — our scheme desk confirms your exact eligibility and package fit before you commit to a treatment plan.
Which centres are empanelled
Empanelment is specific to each hospital, not a blanket rule for every private facility — here's what that means for you.
Only hospitals empanelled with the National Health Authority under PM-JAY can offer cashless radiotherapy under the scheme — empanelment is reviewed periodically and can change.
Your radiotherapy is delivered at an NABH-accredited partner centre; CION Cancer Clinics coordinates your treatment plan, your oncology team and your care throughout.
Our scheme desk confirms, before you commit to a technique, which of our partner centres currently hold PM-JAY empanelment for your specific diagnosis — so you don't rely on an outdated list.
Talk to us
Empanelment is reviewed periodically and can change. One call and our scheme desk will confirm where your centre stands before you book.
How to apply, step by step
Follow these six steps in order — starting treatment before pre-authorisation is approved is the single most common reason a family ends up paying out of pocket.
Confirm eligibility through your Ayushman Bharat card, the PM-JAY mobile app or portal, or your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC), using Aadhaar and your family or ration ID.
Before you start
Get your PM-JAY eligibility, empanelled-centre status and pre-authorisation steps confirmed in one call — free and confidential.
Before your first visit
Bring these to your first visit at an empanelled centre — it's usually the single biggest factor in how quickly pre-authorisation gets approved.
Missing a document doesn't mean you can't start the process — our scheme desk will tell you exactly what's still needed and where to get it.
Missing a document?
Tell us your family's situation and we'll check your PM-JAY eligibility and walk you through the exact next step — free, confidential, no commitment to start treatment.
If PM-JAY doesn't cover everything
PM-JAY cover is a defined annual limit per family, not an unlimited benefit. If your family's cover is already used elsewhere, or your approved package doesn't stretch across a longer radiotherapy course, the remaining amount becomes payable directly — this isn't unusual, and it's better to know it early than mid-treatment.
In that situation, families in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh may separately check Aarogyasri eligibility, or review whether a private health insurance policy can help. See our page on radiation therapy cost in Hyderabad for indicative ranges by technique, so you know roughly what a gap could look like.
Our scheme desk reviews your eligibility across PM-JAY, Aarogyasri and any private policy you hold, and gives you a written picture of what's covered and what isn't — before you commit to a technique.
Common questions
Radiotherapy is listed among the cancer-care procedures in the PM-JAY Health Benefit Package for eligible families, so radiation therapy can be covered — but coverage isn't automatic. It depends on the specific package your empanelled hospital raises for your diagnosis and technique, whether your family's annual scheme cover for the year is still available, and pre-authorisation approval before treatment starts. This is guidance, not a coverage guarantee; our scheme desk checks your specific eligibility and package fit before you commit to a treatment plan.
Only hospitals empanelled with the National Health Authority under PM-JAY can offer cashless radiotherapy under the scheme, and empanelment status is reviewed periodically, so a list from even a year ago may be outdated. CION does not own radiotherapy equipment — your treatment is delivered at an NABH-accredited partner centre, and our scheme desk confirms, before you book, which of our partner centres currently hold PM-JAY empanelment for your specific technique and diagnosis, so you don't have to verify it yourself.
Start by confirming your family's eligibility through the Ayushman card, the PM-JAY mobile app or portal, or your nearest Common Service Centre, using your Aadhaar and family or ration ID. Once your tumour board finalises your treatment plan, the empanelled hospital's PM-JAY coordinator raises a pre-authorisation request for the specific radiotherapy package. Approval must come through before treatment begins — starting sessions without it can mean paying out of pocket. Our team helps coordinate this process alongside your treatment planning.
You'll typically need your Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) card or ID, the patient's Aadhaar card, the family or ration ID used for scheme eligibility, address proof matching your registration, and your diagnosis and treatment-plan documents from your treating oncologist. If you're continuing care from elsewhere, bring prior treatment records too. Having these ready before your first visit to an empanelled centre significantly shortens the pre-authorisation process and avoids delays to your treatment start date.
Generally no — PM-JAY, Aarogyasri and private insurance each work as a separate cashless scheme, and a hospital typically processes one course of treatment under a single scheme rather than combining them for the same claim. Which one applies to you usually depends on your specific eligibility and which scheme's package best fits your diagnosis and technique. Our scheme desk reviews your eligibility across all three and recommends the route most likely to reduce your out-of-pocket cost.
If your family's annual PM-JAY cover is exhausted, or your specific package amount doesn't fully stretch across a longer radiotherapy course, the remaining cost becomes payable directly — the scheme's cover is a defined annual limit per family, not an unlimited benefit. In that situation, our team discusses the balance amount with you upfront, alongside Aarogyasri (if you're also eligible) or private insurance, so you have a clear, written picture before continuing treatment.
Scheme rules shouldn't be a solo project
Talk to our scheme desk about your PM-JAY eligibility, empanelled-centre options and the documents you'll need — no pressure, no commitment.
Medical and scheme disclaimer. This page provides general guidance on Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) and radiation therapy, based on publicly available scheme guidelines as of August 2026. It is not a coverage guarantee, a substitute for official confirmation from the National Health Authority or your empanelled hospital, or financial advice. Any figures mentioned are indicative only. Always confirm your specific eligibility, empanelment and package coverage with our scheme desk and your treating hospital before starting treatment. If something is worrying you, contact your own care team or call us on 1800 202 8726.
