Tamil Nadu Assembly: State government to launch health insurance for the elderly
Another key announcement is the planned replacement of the 87-year-old Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, with a modern, comprehensive Act to address contemporary and future health challenges
The Tamil Nadu state government plans to introduce the 'Chief Minister's Elderly Health Insurance Scheme' on August 17, 2026. The scheme will cover over 38 lakh senior citizens aged 70 and above. Health Minister K.G. Arunraj announced the scheme, promising free medical treatment at empanelled government and private hospitals. The insurance plan will not have any income ceiling.
Arunraj revealed 115 other health department announcements with a total estimated outlay of ₹2,997 crore. The plan includes policy reforms, universal free health services, creation of new posts, infrastructure projects, equipment procurement, direct beneficiary programs, and digital health initiatives. The existing Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, will be replaced with a modern comprehensive Act.
A new provision will make unsupervised home births outside hospitals punishable offenses. The government plans to establish 'TN Medicity', a world-class integrated medical hub. The Health Department will roll out the 'Nalam 360-Annual Free Health Check-up for All' scheme, offering 14 basic tests annually free of cost to everyone aged 30 and above across 1,257 government health facilities.
The department will introduce Home Based Diagnostic Services on a public-private partnership model. The Health Department plans to create 2,500 permanent posts of staff nurses, 1,695 nursing posts on consolidated pay, 3,594 medical staff across 24 categories, and 284 temporary super specialty posts. These posts will accommodate doctors who complete their post-graduation annually and are posted in government hospitals under bond conditions.
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