Enrollment for Ayushman Bharat Health Coverage for Senior Citizens to Start in a Week

Initially, enrollment will be conducted on a pilot basis in select locations before being rolled out nationwide.

The Union Cabinet has expanded of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to provide health coverage to “all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their income”

Reportedly, the enrollment process for senior citizens aged 70 and above under the AB-PMJAY will begin within a week.

The expansion of the health scheme, which provides free insurance coverage up to INR 5 Lakh per year, was recently approved by the Union Cabinet.

Initially, enrollment will be conducted on a pilot basis in select locations before being rolled out nationwide.

"Eligible senior citizens, including those already covered under AB-PMJAY, must apply for the scheme through the Ayushman mobile application or the PMJAY portal," per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Aadhaar card will be required to verify the age and details of the beneficiaries.

"Initially, there will be a pilot launch to address any issues that may arise. It is an application-based scheme, and people will need to register on the portal," the ministry stated.

A designated link for senior citizens aged 70 and above will be available on the portal, with a face authentication feature for verification.

Any individual aged 70 or above, as verified by their Aadhaar card, can apply for the scheme. This expansion is expected to benefit approximately 45 million families, including 60 million senior citizens.

"There will be an awareness campaign across all media platforms, including Information, Education & Communication (IEC) initiatives, as well as field-level and community-level participation. There is no waiting or cooling-off period; once eKYC is completed, the card will be operational immediately," the ministry's statement added.

The Center will continue to cover 60% of the scheme's cost, with states having the flexibility to expand or modify it to include other age groups. Some states have already extended the scheme beyond the socio-economic caste census data, covering the premium for additional beneficiaries.

"The premium currently being paid by the Center to states is being revised based on recommendations from the Niti Aayog committee led by VK Paul," the ministry noted.

Beneficiaries already holding an Ayushman card must reapply for a new card and complete their eKYC again. Moreover, those with private insurance or ESIC coverage are also eligible to apply for the AB-PMJAY scheme.

The Center is also working to add more healthcare packages focused on geriatric care.

"This scheme is expected to significantly benefit women, as 58% of people aged 70 and above are women, with 54% of them being widows," the statement added.