Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi: KASP Apply Kerala

📖What Is Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi

The trust mode implementation means that the Kerala government bears the cost of treatment directly through the SHA, giving the state more flexibility in empanelling hospitals and settling claims. This model has been adopted by several larger states and is considered more cost-efficient than the insurer-based model.

Kerala signed an agreement with the National Health Authority (NHA) on 31 October 2018 to implement Ayushman Bharat in the state under the KASP brand name. The scheme was initially implemented through insurance companies, and from 1 July 2020, Kerala switched to a trust mode where the State Health Agency (SHA) directly processes claims without an insurance company intermediary.

KASP represents a significant step in Kerala's health governance, building on the state's already strong public health infrastructure that includes 14 medical colleges, 81 district and taluk hospitals and hundreds of Community Health Centres. By combining the state's public health network with the cashless hospitalization framework of KASP, Kerala has improved access to secondary and tertiary care for its most vulnerable citizens.

👥Who the Scheme Covers

KASP covers more than 42 lakh poor and vulnerable families in Kerala, representing approximately 64 lakh individual beneficiaries who constitute the bottom 40 percent of the state's population. BPL (Below Poverty Line) families are automatically eligible, and Above Poverty Line families with an annual income below Rs 3 lakh are also covered.

There is no cap on family size under KASP, and all members regardless of household size can avail cashless treatment under the shared Rs 5 lakh annual cover. This is especially beneficial for large joint families where multiple members may need hospitalization in a given year.

One of KASP's most significant features is national portability, allowing beneficiaries to get cashless treatment not just in Kerala but at any empanelled AB-PMJAY hospital across India. This is crucial for Keralite families with members working in other states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi or Gulf returnees staying temporarily outside Kerala.

📋KASP Coverage Details

🛡️The Rs 5 Lakh Cover and What It Includes

All pre-existing diseases are covered from the first day of enrollment under KASP. There is no waiting period for any condition, meaning a beneficiary who just received their KASP card can seek cashless treatment for a long-standing condition such as diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease immediately.

The State Health Agency (SHA) Kerala is the nodal body for KASP implementation, responsible for beneficiary identification, hospital empanelment, claim processing, grievance redressal and scheme monitoring. The SHA is constituted under the Kerala Social Security Mission and operates under the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Kerala government.

Awareness about KASP among rural and elderly beneficiaries remains an ongoing challenge, and the state conducts periodic camps through local self-government institutions, Kudumbashree units and health workers to inform people about the scheme, help them get cards and explain how to use the card at hospitals.

🩺Treatments Covered Under KASP

Cancer, cardiac diseases, renal failures, neurological conditions, orthopaedic surgeries, neonatal care, maternal complications, burns and reconstructive surgeries are all included in the KASP treatment package list. The scheme covers a wide spectrum of conditions that are otherwise financially catastrophic for lower-income families.

The KASP scheme also covers post-hospitalization medicines for up to 15 days after discharge when prescribed as part of the treatment package, reducing the financial burden that often follows a hospital stay for low-income families. Pre-hospitalization diagnostics that are directly related to the admitted condition are also covered.

If a family finds that they meet the income criteria but are not in the beneficiary list, they can approach the State Health Agency through the SHA portal or the district health office to apply for inclusion under the APL category with annual income below Rs 3 lakh. The required documents include income certificate from the Village Officer, Aadhaar card and ration card.

🔍How Beneficiaries Are Identified

BPL families are identified for KASP eligibility primarily through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 database, which the NHA uses nationally for AB-PMJAY beneficiary identification. Kerala has supplemented this with state-level lists to cover additional APL families with annual income below Rs 3 lakh who may not appear in the SECC data.

To check eligibility, a person can visit the Ayushman Bharat portal at pmjay.gov.in, click on 'Am I Eligible', and enter their mobile number or ration card number to search the beneficiary database. Alternatively, the SHA helpline at 1056 or 0471-4063121 can verify eligibility over the phone.

The claim settlement process under KASP is handled digitally, with hospitals submitting claims electronically to the SHA through the NHA's IT system, and the SHA settling claims within defined timelines. Interest is charged on delayed payments to hospitals, incentivizing prompt claim processing.

💳Getting the KASP Card

The KASP card, also called the Ayushman Bharat health card, is a digital or physical card linked to the beneficiary's Aadhaar number. At empanelled hospitals, the beneficiary presents the card at the Ayushman Bharat or KASP desk, provides biometric verification (fingerprint or iris) and the treatment begins without any upfront payment.

KASP cards are issued free of cost to eligible beneficiaries, and the golden ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) card can be obtained from any Akshaya centre (CSC), an empanelled hospital's Ayushman Bharat helpdesk, or a government service camp. The applicant needs to bring their Aadhaar card and ration card for biometric verification.

Beneficiaries can also use the Ayushman Bharat app on Android phones to find empanelled hospitals near them, check the list of procedures covered, see the remaining annual coverage limit, and access their e-health card. The app is available in Malayalam for ease of use.

🏥Using the Card and Hospital Rules

Hospitals empanelled under KASP include all government hospitals in Kerala, central government hospitals, and private hospitals that meet the scheme's infrastructure and service quality standards. The hospital empanelment list is available on the SHA portal at sha.kerala.gov.in, and beneficiaries are advised to check the list before choosing a hospital.

Beneficiaries who are admitted to an empanelled hospital in an emergency do not need to produce their KASP card at the time of admission. They can provide their Aadhaar number and get biometric verification done after stabilization, and the hospital is required to provide cashless treatment for all covered procedures from the point of admission.

Grievances related to KASP, such as hospitals refusing to provide cashless treatment, demanding additional charges for covered procedures, or any issue with card generation, can be filed online at the SHA portal sha.kerala.gov.in, through the NHA grievance portal at grievance.pmjay.gov.in, or by calling the helpline.

Ammayude kidney stone operation 1.8 lakh rupees aayirunnu. KASP card undayirunnathukondu oru paisa kodukkaanundaayilla. Card undakkaanulla Akshaya centreil help cheshathaanu valiya upakaram.

📞Helpline, ABHA and Awareness

The 24x7 helpline for KASP is 1056 (toll-free), and beneficiaries can call this number for any scheme-related query including eligibility verification, hospital location, complaints about cash demands, or guidance on obtaining their card. The SHA can also be reached at 0471-4063121 during office hours.

The KASP card is linked to the family's ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) ID, which is a standardized health account for managing all health-related records in India. Beneficiaries who create an ABHA account can also store their health records digitally and access them at any hospital in the country.

De-empanelment of hospitals that violate KASP rules is handled by the SHA, and hospitals found to be demanding cash, over-billing for covered procedures, or providing substandard care are investigated and removed from the empanelled list. Beneficiary complaints are the primary input for such investigations.

📋RSBY Migration and Outpatient Limits

Former RSBY (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana) beneficiaries in Kerala were automatically migrated to KASP when the scheme was rolled out in 2018 and 2020. Their earlier Rs 30,000 annual cover was upgraded to Rs 5 lakh under KASP, representing a 16-fold increase in health protection coverage.

The KASP scheme does not cover outpatient consultations, medicines purchased from retail pharmacies for non-hospitalized conditions, dental procedures (except those requiring hospitalization), cosmetic procedures or fertility treatments. Families needing these services should approach government hospitals or the state government's other health welfare schemes.

Kerala's Universal Health Coverage initiative announced in 2026 aims to extend health protection to households not covered under KASP or other existing schemes. This additional layer of coverage will sit above KASP, creating a more comprehensive safety net for all Kerala residents beyond the bottom 40 percent currently covered under AB-KASP.

📑Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi: Quick Reference

❓Frequently Asked Questions