A worker drawing permanent total disablement benefit under the ESI Act 1948 after a spinal cord injury at work asks whether his medical care will continue. The correct position regarding medical benefit for such a beneficiary is:

• A It continues only while he remains in insurable employment
• B It continues for 2 years after certification of permanent disablement
• C It stops once the disablement benefit begins, since compensation has replaced it
• D It continues free of charge until the end of his life ✓

Explanation

An insured person awarded permanent total disablement benefit receives full medical care free of cost until the end of his life, a unique provision of the ESI scheme. For permanent partial disablement, medical benefit continues for the duration of the disablement. Since the beneficiary is typically out of insurable employment, option A wrongly ties entitlement to active coverage.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.