AB-PMJAY Sees Surge in Senior Enrollments Following Scheme Expansion

The recent expansion, announced by PM Modi, ensures that senior citizens aged 70 and above can now receive health insurance benefits under AB-PMJAY.

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has experienced a remarkable surge in enrollments since expanding eligibility to include individuals aged 70 and above.

Data from the National Health Authority (NHA) reveals that nearly 6.5 lakh senior citizens have enrolled and received Ayushman cards within just eleven days of the announcement.

Leading the new enrollments are Kerala, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Haryana.

Expanded Benefits for Seniors

The recent expansion, announced by PM Modi, ensures that senior citizens aged 70 and above can now receive health insurance benefits under AB-PMJAY.

Launched on September 23, 2018, AB-PMJAY is designed to increase healthcare accessibility for low-income and vulnerable families, offering free medical treatment up to INR 5 lakh per family annually.

This extension of the scheme has already attracted significant interest, with over six lakh new beneficiaries joining within days.

Under AB-PMJAY, beneficiaries have access to a range of medical services, including cashless hospitalization, medicines, consultations, surgeries, and ICU care.

With the addition of senior citizens to the eligibility pool, the scheme aims to address the healthcare needs of the elderly, ensuring financial protection and improved access to quality medical care.

New Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card

The Union Cabinet approved the expansion on September 11, allowing all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income, to be covered under AB-PMJAY.

Prime Minister Modi emphasized the significance of the expansion, stating, "Every senior citizen in the country aged 70 and above will receive free hospital treatment through the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card."

This latest development underscores the government’s commitment to inclusive healthcare, aiming to protect India’s aging population from the high costs of medical treatment.

The AB-PMJAY scheme, the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance program, covers 55 Cr individuals across 12.34 Cr families, providing secondary and tertiary care hospitalization up to INR 5 lakh per family per year.

Since its inception, AB-PMJAY has covered over 7.37 Cr hospital admissions, with women beneficiaries accounting for 49% of the total.

Beneficiaries have collectively received health benefits worth over INR 1 lakh Cr under the scheme.

To accommodate India’s growing population, the Government of India revised the beneficiary base in January 2022 from 10.74 Cr to 12 Cr families.

Additionally, 37 lakh frontline workers, including ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, and AWHs, were included for free healthcare benefits.

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