New Delhi – In a significant move towards expanding healthcare access, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of free hospital treatment for all citizens aged 70 and above under the new ‘Ayushman Vaya Vandana’ initiative. This expanded healthcare coverage, which is part of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), will allow senior citizens to access up to ₹5 lakh in free medical treatment at empaneled hospitals nationwide starting October 29.
The launch event, held on Tuesday, also featured additional announcements including the U-WIN portal, an innovative platform modeled after India’s COVID-19 Co-WIN vaccine management system. The U-WIN portal aims to digitally record and manage vaccination data for children up to age 17 and for expectant mothers, creating a permanent record accessible nationwide.
In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi underscored the importance of healthcare infrastructure advancements, saying, “Augmenting the healthcare infrastructure is our priority. Initiatives launched today will make top-quality and affordable facilities available to the citizens.”
Key Highlights of the Ayushman Bharat Health Coverage Plan:
- Eligibility and Accessibility: All citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of income, are eligible under the scheme as per their Aadhaar card records.
- Wide Reach: An estimated six crore citizens across 4.5 crore households are expected to benefit.
- Registration Requirements: Eligible individuals can register on the PMJAY portal or the Ayushman app. Existing Ayushman cardholders will need to reapply and complete eKYC for their new cards.
- State-Wide Rollout: The scheme is active in 33 states and Union territories, excluding Delhi, Odisha, and West Bengal.
- Top-Up Benefit for Families: Senior citizens aged 70+ from households already covered under AB-PMJAY will receive an exclusive additional cover up to ₹5 lakh, separate from the family’s total coverage.
- Proven Impact: With over 7.37 crore hospital admissions since inception, including 49% female beneficiaries, AB-PMJAY has provided more than ₹1 lakh crore in healthcare benefits to Indian citizens.
- Coverage for Other Policyholders: Senior citizens already holding private health insurance or covered under the Employees’ State Insurance scheme will still be eligible for Ayushman benefits.
- Options for Current Beneficiaries: Seniors using the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman CAPF schemes will have the choice to either retain their current plan or switch to the Ayushman Bharat coverage.
- Inclusive Coverage: AB-PMJAY covers the poorest 40% of Indian households, targeting 10.74 crore vulnerable families.
- Empaneled Hospitals: As of September 2024, nearly 29,648 hospitals, including 12,696 private institutions, are participating in the PMJAY scheme to deliver quality treatment to beneficiaries.
This extended coverage under AB-PMJAY reaffirms the government’s commitment to providing high-quality and accessible healthcare, particularly for senior citizens, and is anticipated to bring much-needed support to India’s aging population.
