In a significant move, the Union Cabinet approved a major expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana i.e. AB PM-JAY, on September 11. Under this decision, all senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive health coverage, regardless of their income.

This expansion is set to benefit around 4.5 crore families, including six crore senior citizens, by providing them with free health insurance coverage of up to Rs.5 lakh per family. With this approval, every senior citizen in this age group will have access to the scheme's benefits, regardless of their socio-economic status.

Eligible senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive a new, distinct card under the AB PM-JAY scheme. Senior citizens within families already covered by AB PM-JAY will receive an additional top-up cover of up to Rs.5 lakh per year. This top-up will be for them, and they will not have to share it with other family members under the age of 70.

Senior citizens who are not part of an existing AB PM-JAY family coverage will be provided with a cover of up to Rs.5 lakh per year on a family basis.

Senior citizens who are already benefiting from other public health insurance schemes like the Central Government Health Scheme, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force have the option to either continue with their current scheme or opt for AB PM-JAY.

Senior citizens who are covered by private health insurance policies or the Employees’ State Insurance scheme are also eligible to benefit from AB PM-JAY.

Launched in 2018, Ayushman Bharat is a landmark health initiative designed to provide universal health coverage, particularly for rural and vulnerable populations. The mission aims to implement transformative interventions that address health needs comprehensively across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

Ayushman Bharat is designed to implement transformative interventions that address the entire spectrum of healthcare across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. It follows a continuum-of-care approach and consists of two interrelated components.

The first component of Ayushman Bharat involves establishing Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, previously known as Health and Wellness Centres. These Ayushman Arogya Mandirs offer a broad spectrum of healthcare services, including preventive, promotive, rehabilitative, and curative care.

These centres are being created by upgrading existing Sub Health Centres and rural and urban Primary Health Centres to enhance accessibility to healthcare in both rural and urban areas. The goal is to bring healthcare services closer to communities by offering Comprehensive Primary Health Care.

As of September 12, there are 1,74,453 Ayushman Arogya Mandir across the country. These include 1,12,617 Sub Health Centres, 23,903 Primary Health Centres, 5,123 Urban Primary Health Centres, 5,632 Urban Health and Wellness Centres and 12,178 Ayush-related Centres.

As of September 9, over 35.4 crore Ayushman cards have been issued under the AB-PMJAY across the country. The scheme is currently operational in 33 States and Union Territories except the NCT of Delhi, West Bengal, and Odisha.

Notably, the healthcare scheme has authorized a total of 7.79 crore hospital admissions, amounting to Rs.1,07,125 crores in financial coverage till September 9.

The AB PM-JAY scheme has been witnessing tremendous growth in its beneficiary base. Initially covering 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, the Government of India expanded this coverage in January 2022 to include 12 crore families, reflecting India’s 11.7 per cent population growth since 2011.

In addition, the scheme was further extended to include 37 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists i.e. ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers, and Anganwadi Helpers as well as their families, providing them with free healthcare benefits.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 27, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to establish a robust digital health ecosystem through active collaboration between public and private sectors. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, formerly known as the National Digital Health Mission, aims to support universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely, and safe manner.

ABDM is designed to create longitudinal electronic health records for citizens, enhancing healthcare accessibility, reducing care costs, and improving efficiency in health service delivery.

It facilitates continuity of care across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels seamlessly. The digital health ecosystem established by ABDM also ensures the availability of healthcare services through electronic means, particularly benefiting remote and rural areas where specialist care is often limited.

Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts i.e. ABHA, a key part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, is designed to support India's integrated digital health infrastructure. It provides a 14-digit unique number that simplifies the digital access and sharing of health records. It streamlines interactions with verified healthcare providers and facilitates seamless access to lab reports, prescriptions, and other health records.

As of September 12, 66.70 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts have been created with 42.01 crore Health Records linked to them.

The ‘Ayushman Bhav' initiative is designed to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage in every village and town to reach the last mile and provide access to healthcare services for all.

Ayushman Bharat represents a groundbreaking shift in India’s healthcare landscape by seamlessly integrating comprehensive care across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Through its umbrella features, the scheme not only addresses immediate health needs but also emphasizes preventive care and health promotion, making healthcare more accessible and equitable.

As Ayushman Bharat continues to evolve, it is set to further transform India’s health sector by expanding access to quality healthcare services, reducing the financial burden on families, and improving overall health outcomes. This comprehensive approach will likely lead to a more inclusive and efficient healthcare system, setting a precedent for health reforms and driving long-term improvements in public health across the country.