Pune: Maharashtra govt has included PET-CT scan under Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) and Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, paving the way for accurate cancer diagnosis and treatment planning without a pocket pinch.The public health department issued a govt resolution (GR) on Oct 15 adding PET-CT as an “add-on diagnostic procedure” in 63 cancer treatment packages, up from 44 earlier. It will now be available as a standalone or primary diagnostic procedure for 13 cancer treatments, where the scan is medically essential.State health minister Prakash Abitkar said, “The decision follows recommendations of a specially appointed study committee, constituted after demands from citizens and empanelled hospitals. The move will make cancer treatment more accessible, enable timely intervention and reduce the financial hardship caused by expensive diagnostic tests.”The inclusion of PET-CT scan in the state health cover will particularly help patients in rural and semi-urban areas, where advanced diagnostics are often unaffordable or unavailable. Earlier, cancer-related procedures were covered under MJPJAY, but high-end diagnostics such as PET-CT were largely outside the scheme’s ambit.The GR stated that a whole-body PET-CT scan would cost Rs20,500, a brain scan Rs14,650 and a Gallium-68 scan Rs15,000 under the new rates. “These costs will now be covered for eligible beneficiaries under the two schemes,” the GR said.The benefit will be available only after a specialist doctor certifies the medical need for the scan. Empanelled hospitals must have the required technical infrastructure, qualified staff and an in-house PET-CT centre. They would also have to obtain prior approval and submit necessary medical documents before conducting the test, stated the GR.Abitkar said, “The move is an important step in Maharashtra’s fight against cancer. By bringing a critical diagnostic test within cashless treatment coverage, the state expects earlier detection, better staging of the disease, improved treatment planning and reduced delay in care for thousands of beneficiaries.”To implement the decision smoothly, the State Health Assurance Society has been directed to make necessary changes in the National Health Authority’s TMS 2.0 system. Officials said this would help verify eligibility, process approvals and prevent misuse of the facility.PET-CT scans help doctors detect cancer, determine its stage, assess if the disease has spread and monitor the response to treatment. Until now, the high cost of the test often forced patients from low-income families to postpone or skip it, delaying correct diagnosis and treatment decisions.
