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Swasthya Sathi Card: Apply Online, Check Status, Download
Swasthya Sathi gives every West Bengal family Rs 5 lakh cashless health cover. Card apply, status check, download, and the 2026 Ayushman Bharat transition explained.
📖What is Swasthya Sathi Card: Apply Online, Check Status, Download?
Swasthya Sathi (also called Sastho Sathi in Bengali, meaning health companion) is West Bengal's flagship state health insurance scheme, launched on 30 December 2016 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The scheme gives every family in the state free cashless health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary medical treatment.
The scheme was announced in Cabinet notification number 2625 dated 17 February 2016 and formally rolled out in Finance Department notification 1104-F(P) dated 25 February 2016. It is fully state-funded with no premium or co-payment from the beneficiary family at any stage.
✅Eligibility
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Swasthya Sathi continues in 2026 alongside Ayushman Bharat: the state government has said no existing welfare scheme is being stopped. Families not covered by Ayushman keep full Swasthya Sathi benefits.
The ₹5 lakh family cover renews every April on a floater basis, and the network stands at 2,800+ empanelled hospitals. Keep using your existing card as normal.
📈Scale, Coverage and Settlement Record
Over 2.4 crore families across West Bengal are enrolled, covering an estimated 8 to 10 crore people. More than 76 lakh hospitalizations have taken place under the scheme since launch, and the settlement rate for claims filed stands at 98.26 percent as of mid-2024.
The scheme covers all secondary and tertiary care treatments, including surgeries, ICU admission, oncology, cardiac procedures, orthopaedics, dialysis, and other specialist treatments. Doctor consultations and diagnostic tests for one day before hospital admission and medicines for up to five days after discharge are also included.
Cancer treatment is one of the most impactful areas of coverage under Swasthya Sathi. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy for cancer are covered within the Rs 5 lakh annual limit at empanelled oncology centres across West Bengal.
📋Swasthya Sathi Scheme: Coverage Details
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual cover per family | Rs 5,00,000 (secondary + tertiary care) |
| Premium / co-payment | Zero (fully state-funded) |
| Pre-existing diseases | Covered from day one, no exclusions |
| Family size cap | None, all members covered |
| Parents-in-law | Covered (from both spouses) |
| Dependent physically challenged | Covered |
| Pre-hospitalisation cover | 1 day before admission |
| Post-discharge cover | Medicines up to 5 days after discharge |
| Hospital network | 2,800+ empanelled hospitals across WB |
| Pre-authorisation TAT | 24 hours (online, 100%) |
| Claim settlement to hospitals | Within 30 days |
| Helpline | 18003455384 (toll-free, 24x7) |
| Portal | swasthyasathi.gov.in |
| Status check | data.swasthyasathi.gov.in/SSDataEntryStatusCheck.aspx |
🛡️Pre-existing Diseases and Family Cover
All pre-existing diseases are covered from the very first day of enrolment. There is no waiting period and no exclusion of conditions that existed before the family joined the scheme.
The Swasthya Sathi scheme imposes no cap on family size, meaning all members of a household can use the Rs 5 lakh annual cover. Parents of both spouses are included as dependents, and physically challenged family members are also covered without any additional condition.
Neonatal and pediatric care is also included, covering premature births, neonatal ICU, treatment of congenital conditions, and childhood surgeries at empanelled children's hospitals and paediatric units. This removes one of the most financially crushing medical burdens faced by young families.
Cashless Cover Per Family, Per Year
The full Rs 5 lakh is shared across all family members for secondary and tertiary care.
It resets every year, covers pre-existing diseases from day one, and carries zero premium or co-payment for the family.
💳The Lady-Centric Smart Card
The scheme is lady-centric: the smart health card is issued in the name of the woman of the household. She is the primary cardholder and her family members are linked to her card, reinforcing the scheme's goal of giving women ownership of the family's health security.
The Swasthya Sathi Smart Card is a biometric-enabled chip card that captures the photographs, fingerprints, address, mobile number, SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census) ID and bank details of each enrolled family. The card is generated on the same day as enrolment at the camp or portal, with no waiting for a physical card from a distant office.
District-level monitoring of the Swasthya Sathi scheme is handled by the District Chief Medical Officer in coordination with the District Magistrate. Regular review meetings are held at the district level to check hospital empanelment status, beneficiary complaint pendency and claim settlement timelines across all blocks in the district.
Who qualifies
- Permanent resident of West Bengal
- Any family, regardless of income level
- Larger families (no size cap)
- Families with elderly parents or in-laws
- Households with disabled dependents
- Non-residents of West Bengal
- No valid WB residence proof
- Seeking treatment outside WB (no national portability)
- Duplicate card for the same family unit
📝How Enrolment Works
Enrolment was historically done through special Swasthya Sathi camps organized in every block and ward. After 2020, enrolment was integrated into the Duare Sarkar (government at your doorstep) programme, where residents can complete registration at camps organized near their homes or at designated government offices.
Online application for the Swasthya Sathi card is available at accounts.swasthyasathi.gov.in. Applicants select Form A (new registration), Form B (member addition), Form C (card re-issue) or Form D (beneficiary updates) depending on what they need, fill in the details, upload documents and submit for processing.
The Swasthya Sathi portal also maintains a public-facing dashboard showing scheme statistics such as total families covered, hospitalizations by district, and claim settlement rates. Citizens can visit swasthyasathi.gov.in to view state-level and district-level data on scheme performance, which ensures transparency in how public health funds are being used.
How to Get Your Swasthya Sathi Card
🌾Coverage in Rural and Remote Districts
The Swasthya Sathi mobile app for Android allows beneficiaries to download their card, search for empanelled hospitals near them, check the list of procedures covered and lodge grievances, all from their phone. The app is available free on the Google Play Store.
The hospital network under Swasthya Sathi covers more than 2,400 public and private hospitals empanelled across West Bengal. Hospitals are graded online based on infrastructure and services, and empanelment is monitored on a continuous basis to ensure quality standards.
Which Form You Need
📄Documents and Verification
Documents needed for registration include Aadhaar card, voter ID, a recent passport-size photograph, and proof of residence in West Bengal such as ration card or utility bill. Applicants who have an SECC or BPL card are automatically eligible, but the scheme now covers all families residing in WB regardless of income level.
After submission of the online or camp application, the registering authority enters the family details into the Swasthya Sathi system. An OTP is sent to the registered mobile number for verification, and the digital Swasthya Sathi card is generated and sent to the applicant's phone as a download link.
🔍Swasthya Sathi Name Check: Confirm You Are on the Active List
A card in hand means nothing if the name is missing from the current year's active list, and hospitals check the list, not the plastic. Do the name check before any planned admission, not at the ward door.
Portal route: open swasthyasathi.gov.in, go to Find Your Name, select your district and block, and search by Aadhaar-linked details or ration card link.
App route: the official Swasthya Sathi app has URN Verification with no login needed. Select district, enter the 17-digit URN, tap Show Data, and an Active status with family names means the card works.
Name missing or showing Blocked? Reactivate at the next Duare Sarkar camp or your BDO office with Aadhaar and ration card, since blocked cards commonly trace to ration card mismatches.
🔢What Is the URN Number and Where to Find It
URN means Unique Registration Number: the 17-digit identity of your family's enrolment. It sits printed on the card and in the enrolment SMS.
Every online check runs on this number, from app verification to hospital pre-authorisation. Save it in your phone separately from the card photo.
Lost the URN with no card copy? The helpline 18003455384 retrieves it against your registered mobile and Aadhaar details.
Card Download and Status Check
🔎Downloading and Verifying the Card
Application status can be checked at any time on data.swasthyasathi.gov.in/SSDataEntryStatusCheck.aspx by entering the district and Aadhaar number. The system shows whether the application is pending data entry, under verification, approved or card-issued.
Once the card is ready, it can be downloaded as a PDF from the Swasthya Sathi portal by logging in with the registered mobile number. The downloaded card carries a QR code that empanelled hospitals scan to instantly verify the beneficiary's coverage and remaining annual limit.
What Treatments Are Covered
🏥Using the Card at a Hospital
To use the Swasthya Sathi card at a hospital, the beneficiary walks to the Swasthya Sathi desk or reception counter and presents the smart card. The hospital staff scan the card, match the biometric (fingerprint) of the primary cardholder or a declared family member, and confirm the available annual coverage.
For planned (elective) procedures, the hospital must obtain pre-authorization from the insurer before the patient is admitted. The pre-authorization is processed entirely online and the turnaround time is 24 hours, meaning most planned admissions are approved within one day.
The Hospital Network and Claims
⏱️Emergencies, Records and Claim Payment
For emergency admissions, the hospital can admit the patient immediately and apply for pre-authorization within 24 hours of admission. No treatment is delayed on account of the pre-authorization process in genuine emergency situations.
Claim payment to the hospital is made within 30 days of claim submission with complete documents. If the insurer or trust delays payment beyond 30 days, interest is charged on the outstanding amount as a penalty, creating a strong incentive for timely settlement.
Amar babar open heart surgery hoye giyechilo Kolkatar ek baro hospital-e. Swasthya Sathi card dekhiye admit koralo, operation koralo, discharge koralo. Ek taka nite parlo na amader kaach theke. Ei card ta jano bhagaban.
📞Alerts, Helpline and Grievances
SMS alerts are sent to the beneficiary's registered mobile number at every key stage: when the card is generated, when a hospital admission is pre-authorized, and when the claim is settled. This transparency mechanism helps detect fraud and keeps the family informed about their coverage use.
The 24x7 toll-free helpline at 18003455384 handles calls in Bengali and English for registration queries, hospital location, complaint escalation and card-related issues. An online grievance monitoring system is also available on the portal for written complaints.
ASHA workers and community health activists help rural families register, especially at Duare Sarkar camps.
If online registration is difficult, approach your nearest ASHA or the Block Medical Officer of Health for assisted enrolment.
🏛️Why WB Built Its Own Scheme
Swasthya Sathi was West Bengal's alternative to the Centre's Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme after the TMC government under Mamata Banerjee declined to implement the central programme. WB families who earlier held RSBY (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana) smart cards were migrated to Swasthya Sathi, giving them higher coverage of Rs 5 lakh versus the earlier Rs 30,000.
Family members registered under a West Bengal family's Swasthya Sathi card cannot use it for treatment at hospitals outside the state, since the scheme is state-bound and has no national portability. This limitation was a key reason the new WB government chose to adopt Ayushman Bharat in 2026, which gives beneficiaries cashless access at empanelled hospitals across every state in India.
In May 2026 the new WB government approved Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY for the state, with cards rolling out from July 2026. The government has clarified that both schemes run together and Swasthya Sathi is not being discontinued.
Existing cards stay fully valid. If you have no card yet, enrol in Swasthya Sathi now for immediate cover rather than waiting for an Ayushman card.
🔄How the Two Schemes Fit Together
Ayushman Bharat cards started reaching WB beneficiaries from July 2026 in phases. Families eligible for Ayushman get national portability: cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals across India.
Swasthya Sathi keeps covering everyone else with the same ₹5 lakh per family per year inside West Bengal. Nobody loses cover in this arrangement, and holding a Swasthya Sathi card does not block an Ayushman card later.
Early in the changeover, some private hospitals briefly hesitated over pending reimbursements. If a hospital refuses a valid card, call the helpline 18003455384 on the spot and ask for the district grievance cell.
Swasthya Sathi works only within West Bengal and has no national portability, so a WB card cannot be used in another state.
This was a key reason the new government adopted Ayushman Bharat, which gives cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals across India.
✅What Cardholders Should Do Now
Not enrolled anywhere? Apply for Swasthya Sathi now through the portal or a Duare Sarkar camp: it protects you immediately and costs nothing.
Already holding a Swasthya Sathi card? Keep it active and check your name shows in the current year's list before any planned admission.
If your family receives an Ayushman Bharat card, keep both safe. Use Ayushman for treatment outside WB and either inside the state, depending on which network the hospital belongs to.
💰Balance Check and Package Rates: The Honest Answer
There is no public online balance meter. The exact remaining amount of your ₹5 lakh is confirmed at the Swasthya Sathi help desk inside any empanelled hospital, or via the helpline.
The cover works as an annual family floater: whatever remains unused lapses on 31 March, and a fresh ₹5 lakh loads every April. Nothing carries forward, so never delay needed treatment to save balance.
Package rates for procedures are fixed by the scheme and published on the portal's package list. Hospitals bill the scheme at those rates, which is why no cash should ever be demanded for covered treatment.
📑Swasthya Sathi Quick Reference
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Official Portal | swasthyasathi.gov.in |
| Apply Online | accounts.swasthyasathi.gov.in |
| Status Check | data.swasthyasathi.gov.in/SSDataEntryStatusCheck.aspx |
| Helpline (24x7) | 18003455384 (toll-free) |
| Mobile App | Swasthya Sathi (available on Google Play Store) |
| Annual Cover | Rs 5,00,000 per family |
| Primary Cardholder | Woman of the household |
| Enrolment Mode | Online at swasthyasathi.gov.in or Duare Sarkar camps |
| 2026 Update | Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY rolling out in WB; Swasthya Sathi valid during transition |
📝How to Apply
📅Important Dates & Schedule
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📋 Official Sources & Verification
Information verified against official government portals and gazette notifications. Read our editorial process.
2026-08-01