Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva is the promise that a serious illness in Andhra Pradesh should not bankrupt a family: cashless treatment of up to ₹25 lakh per family per year at empanelled network hospitals. But a promise is only useful if you know how to use it. This step-by-step guide to Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva walks you through the admission process — from finding a network hospital, to the Aarogya Mitra help desk, to pre-authorisation, treatment and discharge — so that you arrive prepared and are never asked to pay for covered treatment.

Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva: Step 1 — Check Eligibility and Find a Hospital

The first step to Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva is to confirm that your family is covered and to find a network hospital for the treatment you need. The scheme gives cashless treatment up to ₹25 lakh per family per year at empanelled hospitals, and eligibility is checked against the family’s records — the ration card or other proof of eligibility, and the patient’s Aadhaar.

Find the hospital on the scheme’s portal at drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in, searching by district and by the speciality you need. Our guide to Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Network Hospitals explains the search in detail. Note two or three hospitals, not just one, and confirm by phone that the hospital covers the procedure and has a bed. For an emergency, do not wait to search — go to the nearest hospital’s emergency department and call 108 for the ambulance.

Step 2 — Go to the Aarogya Mitra Help Desk

When you arrive at the hospital, go to the Aarogya Mitra help desk first. The Aarogya Mitra is the person at the hospital whose job is to help Vaidya Seva patients, and the help desk is where Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva begins. Show the patient’s Aadhaar card, the family’s ration card or other proof of eligibility, and any medical records, prescriptions and test reports you have.

The Aarogya Mitra checks your eligibility, verifies the documents, and registers the patient under the scheme. If a document is missing, the help desk will tell you what is needed and whether it can be arranged at the hospital or must come from home. The help desk also keeps a record of your admission, so if you return for follow-up treatment, the hospital already has your details. Do not pay anyone who offers to get you admitted for a fee — admission through the Aarogya Mitra help desk is free, and any demand for money should be reported to the hospital administration.

Step 3 — Pre-Authorisation: the Approval Before Treatment

Pre-authorisation is the approval the scheme gives before treatment begins, and it is the step that makes Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva cashless. After the hospital’s doctor recommends a treatment, the Aarogya Mitra sends a pre-authorisation request to the scheme’s Trust, with the patient’s details and the medical findings. The Trust checks the request and approves it if the treatment is covered.

This step takes time, so for a planned admission — a scheduled surgery, for example — the hospital can start the process in advance. Ask the help desk how long the approval is expected to take, and keep the pre-authorisation reference number you are given. For an emergency, treatment begins first and the paperwork runs alongside it; do not let anyone delay emergency care while waiting for an approval.

If pre-authorisation is delayed, ask the Aarogya Mitra for the reason and the expected time. Sometimes the Trust needs one more test report or a clearer diagnosis before it can approve, and the hospital can supply it the same day. Do not leave the hospital without a written answer — either the approval, or a clear note of what is still needed and who will provide it.

Step 4 — Treatment, and What Is Covered

Once pre-authorisation is approved, treatment proceeds cashlessly up to the scheme’s cover of ₹25 lakh per family per year. The covered treatment includes the hospital stay, the procedure itself, and the medicines and tests that are part of the treatment as approved. Ask the Aarogya Mitra at the start what is covered in your case, so that there are no surprises later.

If the doctor recommends something that is not covered, the help desk should tell you so plainly, before it is done, and explain what it would cost. Do not sign a bill for treatment you believed was covered without asking the help desk first. Keep every paper — the pre-authorisation, the daily treatment records, and the bills for anything you do pay for — in one folder, and keep it until well after discharge.

Step 5 — Discharge and Aftercare

At discharge, the hospital gives you a discharge summary — a written record of what was done, what medicines to take, and what follow-up is needed. Read it before you leave, and ask the doctor or the Aarogya Mitra to explain anything you do not understand. The discharge summary is also the proof of the treatment, so keep it safe, along with the pre-authorisation reference.

Follow-up visits and medicines after discharge may or may not be covered, depending on the case — ask the help desk before you leave, so you know what to expect. If a bill is presented at discharge for treatment that was approved, do not pay it without asking the Aarogya Mitra to explain it. If the problem is not resolved, file a grievance on the GSWS NBM portal — our guide to a GSWS NBM grievance explains how — or call the helpline 1902.

Frequently Asked Questions About Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva

How much free treatment can my family get?

Cashless treatment up to ₹25 lakh per family per year under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva, at empanelled network hospitals. The Universal Health Policy adds an insurer layer for the first ₹2.5 lakh for BPL families.

What is pre-authorisation?

The approval the scheme’s Trust gives before treatment begins, requested by the hospital’s Aarogya Mitra help desk. It is what makes the treatment cashless. In an emergency, treatment begins first and the paperwork runs alongside it.

Which hospital should I go to?

An empanelled network hospital, found by district and speciality on drntrvaidyaseva.ap.gov.in. See our guide to Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Network Hospitals for the search.

What documents do I need for admission?

The patient’s Aadhaar card, the family’s ration card or other proof of eligibility, medical records, prescriptions and test reports, and any referral letter. The Aarogya Mitra help desk will tell you if anything else is needed.

What if the hospital asks me to pay?

Ask the Aarogya Mitra help desk to explain the charge before you pay anything. If the treatment was approved and you are still asked to pay, file a grievance on gsws-nbm.ap.gov.in or call the helpline 1902. The official state portal for general information is ap.gov.in.

Free Treatment under Dr NTR Vaidya Seva is a five-step process: find a network hospital, go to the Aarogya Mitra help desk, get pre-authorisation, receive the covered treatment, and leave with your discharge summary and your papers. Follow the steps, keep your documents, and never pay for a service the scheme provides free.

Last updated: November 2026