Health Minister Nadda Reviews Ayushman Bharat Schemes with NHA Officials

JP Nadda directed officials to resolve any challenges hindering the effective implementation of PMJAY in coordination with the states.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda has reviewed the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with senior officials of the National Health Authority (NHA) in Delhi, according to an official release.

Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, CEO of NHA, delivered a detailed presentation on the salient features, current status, and operational aspects of the schemes.

The review highlighted significant milestones achieved by PMJAY, including the issuance of 34.7 Cr Ayushman Cards and 7.35 Cr hospital admissions, which amount to more than INR 1 lakh Cr.

The NHA also outlined plans to strengthen the network of impaneled hospitals and improve engagement with them.

Focus on Universal Health Coverage

Underlining PM Narendra Modi's vision of universal health coverage, Nadda emphasized the need to ensure that the benefits of these schemes reach the most needy and vulnerable sections of society.

He directed officials to resolve any challenges hindering the effective implementation of PMJAY in coordination with the states.

"We need to ensure that challenges and any issues that are hampering the effective implementation of PMJAY are resolved early in coordination with States," he stated.

Additionally, Nadda advocated for a bottom-up approach to enhancing and expanding the creation of Ayushman Cards, particularly in urban areas and metropolitan cities.

He suggested creating pathways and mechanisms for easy verification and card creation. "Let us keep our systems flexible and agile to ensure the enrolment process," he advised.

Utilizing Smart Technology

Emphasizing the importance of learning from beneficiaries' experiences, Nadda highlighted using smart technology tools to connect directly with beneficiaries and gather feedback on their hospitalization and treatment experiences.

"This will help us to improve delivery of our healthcare services," the Union Health Minister noted.

The review also covered the fraud detection and prevention measures implemented by the NHA, which have significantly enhanced the efficiency of the scheme. Nadda was briefed on these measures and their impact on the scheme's effectiveness.

Review of National Health Claims Exchange

Nadda also reviewed the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), which the NHA developed in collaboration with the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

The NHCX facilitates paperless settlement of claims submitted by hospitals to insurance companies. It enables IRDAI to have a real-time dashboard view of claims settlement status.

So far, 33 insurance companies covering 99% of the insurance market have been integrated into the NHCX platform. Citizens can also check the status of their insurance claims through a mobile app.