New Delhi: Launched on September 23, 2018, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) has been a cornerstone of India’s dedication to reaching Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

As a key element of the Ayushman Bharat initiative, which emerged from the National Health Policy 2017, PM-JAY has reworked the healthcare panorama by offering well being protection to the nation’s most susceptible.
With an formidable aim of protecting over 12 crore households, or practically 55 crore people, PM-JAY has change into the biggest well being assurance scheme on the planet, providing complete secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation advantages of as much as Rs.5 lakh per household yearly.
Over the previous six years, PM-JAY has sought to deal with the deep-rooted well being inequities in India, prioritising the poorest 40 per cent of the inhabitants based mostly on the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011. This initiative marked a paradigm shift from segmented healthcare companies to an built-in, need-based method, aligning with the nation’s dedication to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and making certain that “no one is left behind.”
In a landmark resolution, the Union Cabinet permitted an enlargement of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on September 11, 2024, providing complete medical insurance to senior residents aged 70 and above. This transfer will present free well being protection of as much as Rs.5 lakh per household, no matter revenue, benefiting round 6 crore senior residents throughout 4.5 crore households.
Under this enlargement, all senior residents on this age group will obtain a brand new distinct card below AB PM-JAY to entry the scheme’s advantages. For senior residents aged 70 and above who already belong to households lined by AB PM-JAY, an extra top-up cowl of Rs.5 lakh per yr will probably be offered completely for his or her use, separate from the remainder of the household. Those who are usually not a part of the prevailing scheme will obtain Rs.5 lakh of annual protection on a household foundation.
Moreover, senior residents already lined below public medical insurance schemes just like the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman CAPF may have the choice to both proceed with their current scheme or go for AB PM-JAY.
Additionally, these below non-public medical insurance insurance policies or the Employees’ State Insurance scheme will even be eligible to avail of the advantages of AB PM-JAY. As of September 9, 2024, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) has considerably improved healthcare accessibility throughout India. Over 35.4 crore Ayushman playing cards have been issued, empowering tens of millions of households with well being protection. The scheme is operational in 33 States and Union Territories, besides NCT Delhi, West Bengal, and Odisha.
A key accomplishment is the authorisation of seven.79 crore hospital admissions, offering Rs.1,07,125 crore in monetary protection. Gender-wise utilisation reveals that 49 per cent of the Ayushman playing cards have been issued to ladies, and three.61 crore hospital admissions have been utilised by ladies, reflecting the scheme’s position in supporting gender fairness in healthcare.
The scheme’s portability characteristic permits beneficiaries to avail therapy at any empanelled hospital throughout India, no matter their dwelling state. Notably, 11.9 lakh hospitalizations value Rs.3,100 crores have been licensed below this portability characteristic, enhancing accessibility for beneficiaries nationwide.
Furthermore, AB PM-JAY has efficiently empanelled 30,529 hospitals throughout the nation, with 17,063 public and 13,466 non-public hospitals, making certain beneficiaries have a large community of healthcare services to select from.
As of September 1, 2024, the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY has facilitated a various array of medical procedures, with important hospital admissions licensed throughout numerous specialties. Celebrating six years of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) highlights the numerous lives touched and the communities empowered by this transformative initiative. The strides made towards a extra inclusive healthcare system are evident within the optimistic modifications skilled throughout the nation.
The Ayushman Bharat program has led to a outstanding 21 per cent discount in out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures and an 8 per cent lower within the incidence of emergency loans taken for health-related bills. This aid permits households to concentrate on their well-being with out the burden of monetary stress.
Under PM-JAY, entry to high-frequency, low-cost, life-saving procedures, comparable to dialysis, which usually prices Rs.10,000-15,000 per session, has change into considerably extra reasonably priced for low-income households. This initiative has alleviated monetary burdens, making certain that important remedies are inside attain.
Without AB PM-JAY, the whole value of therapy would have been 1.5 to 2 occasions increased, resulting in financial savings of over Rs.1.25 lakh crore in out-of-pocket bills and facilitating 7.37 crore free hospital admissions. This influence underscores the scheme’s position in remodeling healthcare entry and affordability.
The legacy of PM-JAY can be mirrored within the important enhance in eye care procedures, enhancing imaginative and prescient for numerous people and reaffirming the dedication to complete well being protection for all. The transformative influence of PM-JAY continues to pave the best way for a more healthy, extra equitable society.