PM Modi to Launch Ayushman Bharat Health Cover for Citizens Above 70 on Oct 29

The expanded scheme will provide up to INR 5 Lakh in annual medical coverage, benefiting an estimated six crore citizens from 4.5 crore households across India.

PM Narendra Modi is set to launch health coverage for citizens aged 70 years and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) on October 29, according to official sources.

The expanded scheme will provide up to INR 5 Lakh in annual medical coverage, benefiting an estimated six crore citizens from 4.5 crore households across India.

On the same day, Modi will inaugurate the U-WIN portal, a digital immunization registry designed to maintain vaccination records for pregnant women and children up to age 17 under the Universal Immunization Programme.

The U-WIN platform, modeled after the Co-WIN COVID-19 system, is currently operating on a pilot basis.

The health coverage initiative under AB-PMJAY aims to extend the free treatment of up to INR 5 lakh for senior citizens at any impanelled hospital, whether private or public, regardless of income status.

The scheme’s eligibility criteria require applicants to be 70 years or older as per Aadhaar records, with registration possible through the PMJAY portal or Ayushman app.

Existing Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries who meet the age requirement will be required to reapply for a new card and complete eKYC procedures.

Citizens covered under private health insurance or the Employees' State Insurance scheme are also eligible to benefit from the scheme.

For families already included under AB PM-JAY, senior citizens will receive an additional top-up of INR 5 lakh per year. The scheme is currently active across 33 states and Union Territories, excluding Delhi, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Since its inception, AB-PMJAY has supported over 7.37 Cr hospital admissions, benefiting 49% female recipients and offering coverage worth more than INR 1 Lakh Cr, according to the health ministry. Initially, the scheme targeted 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, or the bottom 40% of India’s population.

In January 2022, the Center expanded the beneficiary base to 12 crore families, accounting for an 11.7% population increase since 2011. The scheme now also includes an additional 37 lakh workers and their families, offering comprehensive healthcare benefits.

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