In a landmark decision, the Union Cabinet has approved a significant expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on September 11, 2024. This new initiative extends free healthcare coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their income level. The expansion will benefit approximately 4.5 crore families, including an estimated 6 crore senior citizens, providing health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family.

With this decision, senior citizens will receive access to the scheme's benefits, ensuring comprehensive healthcare regardless of their socio-economic background. The move is a major step forward in India’s healthcare reforms, aimed at making healthcare accessible and affordable for the elderly population.

Key Developments in the Expansion

1. New Distinct Card: All eligible senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive a unique card under the AB PM-JAY scheme for easier access to healthcare services.

2. Top-Up Coverage: Senior citizens who are already part of an AB PM-JAY-covered family will receive an additional top-up cover of Rs 5 lakh per year. This will be exclusively for them and will not need to be shared with younger family members.

3. Family Coverage: For senior citizens not covered by any existing AB PM-JAY family plans, the scheme will offer Rs 5 lakh of annual coverage on a family basis.

4. Choice of Schemes: Senior citizens currently benefiting from other public health schemes like the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) can either continue with their current plans or opt for AB PM-JAY.

5. Eligibility with Private Insurance: Senior citizens who are part of private health insurance or the Employees’ State Insurance scheme can still avail of AB PM-JAY benefits.

Ayushman Bharat: A Transformative Healthcare Initiative

Launched in 2018, Ayushman Bharat has been instrumental in providing universal health coverage, particularly to rural and vulnerable populations. The scheme adopts a continuum-of-care approach, offering comprehensive healthcare services across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Ayushman Bharat has two key components:

Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM): These centers, formerly known as Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs), provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative, and curative care. The initiative has significantly enhanced healthcare accessibility, with 1,74,453 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs already established across the country.

AB PM-JAY: The world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, AB PM-JAY offers Rs 5 lakh coverage per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization. As of September 2024, over 35.4 crore Ayushman cards have been issued, and the scheme has seen 7.79 crore hospital admissions, covering over Rs 1,07,125 crore in healthcare costs.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

Launched in September 2021, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to create a robust digital health ecosystem. By enabling electronic health records, ABDM improves healthcare accessibility and reduces costs, particularly benefiting remote areas. To date, over 66.70 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) have been created, with 42.01 crore health records linked to the system.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)