In a major relief for cancer patients, the Maharashtra government has decided to include Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), reducing the cost of cancer diagnosis. Officials said the process is underway and is expected to be completed within a month.
A PET scan, a key investigation for diagnosing and staging cancer, currently costs ₹15,000-30,000. For many families, the expense delays diagnosis until the disease has advanced.
Annasaheb Chavan, chief executive officer (CEO) of the MJPJAY and PMJAY schemes, said, “The process to include PET scan tests under MJPJAY is underway. The package rates will be finalised shortly and uploaded on the scheme portal. Once that is done, the facility will become available immediately. We expect the tests to be included in the scheme within a month.”
Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said the decision was aimed at ensuring cost does not become a barrier to timely diagnosis. “A PET scan is a crucial investigation for cancer diagnosis, but its cost is beyond the reach of many patients. As a result, several people approach hospitals only when the disease has reached Stage IV, when treatment outcomes are often poor. By including PET scans under MJPJAY, we want patients to undergo timely investigations and begin treatment at an earlier stage,” he said.
Doctors said PET scans help detect the spread and stage of cancer, guiding treatment decisions. Delayed diagnosis limits treatment options and reduces survival chances. The state has 4,800 public and private hospitals empanelled under MJPJAY, although PET scan facilities are available only at selected centres. Beneficiaries will be able to access the investigation at empanelled hospitals once the package is notified.
{{/usCountry}}Doctors said PET scans help detect the spread and stage of cancer, guiding treatment decisions. Delayed diagnosis limits treatment options and reduces survival chances. The state has 4,800 public and private hospitals empanelled under MJPJAY, although PET scan facilities are available only at selected centres. Beneficiaries will be able to access the investigation at empanelled hospitals once the package is notified.
{{/usCountry}}The government is also evaluating 345 charitable hospitals registered under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, for empanelment under the scheme. MJPJAY was expanded in 2023, raising health cover from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh per family. Along with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), it covers 1,352 medical procedures across public and private hospitals.