Ayushman Bharat aims to build a more organised healthcare system that meets people’s needs. By focusing on prevention and accessible care, it is making healthcare better for everyone. The scheme helps low-income families by covering the cost of hospital treatments for both basic and advanced care.
What is the Ayushman Bharat Yojana?
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is India’s largest health insurance scheme, providing ₹5,00,000 of coverage per family annually. This assistance provides hospital treatments for significant health concerns for about 10.74 crore vulnerable families. The primary purpose is to alleviate the financial burden of medical bills and ensure that individuals may get quality healthcare without bearing significant prices.
Highlights
- Scheme: Ayushman Bharat Yojana
- Initiated by: Government Of India
- Initiated date: 23 September, 2018
- Benefits: Cashless medical cover upto ₹ 5,00,000/-
- Application mode: Both Offline & Online
Do You Know?
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is also known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Previously, it was also called the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS).
Benefits
Ayushman Bharat Yojana provides many benefits that make it one of the most remarkable healthcare programs:
- High Coverage: Offers up to ₹5,00,000 per household annually for hospital treatment.
- Comprehensive Treatment Options: Provides secondary and tertiary care, including procedures and specialist therapies.
- Free Treatment: Beneficiaries can receive free healthcare at public and private facilities that participate in the scheme.
- Cashless Treatment: At empaneled hospitals, there is no need to pay in advance for services.
- Health Protection: Reduces the financial burden on low-income households, allowing them to obtain high-quality healthcare.
- Large Hospital Network: The scheme includes more than 24,000 hospitals across India.
Eligibility
| Category | Criteria |
| Rural Area Eligibility | -Families living in temporary or no permanent residence -Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) families -Families with a woman or differently-abled person -Households with a disabled head -Families with no adult (ages 16-59) -Households involved in manual scavenging or labour work |
| Urban Area Eligibility | -Domestic workers -Ragpickers and beggars -Construction workers (plumbers, masons, labourers, painters, welders, security guards, etc.) -Sweepers, sanitation workers, gardeners -Street vendors, cobblers, hawkers, and other street service providers -Home-based workers like tailors -Transport workers (drivers, conductors, rickshaw pullers) -Shop assistants, peons in small establishments, attendants, waiters -Electricians, mechanics, assemblers, repair workers -Washermen, watchmen |
| Non-Eligible | -People with motorized vehicles (two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers) -Owners of agricultural machinery -Kisan Card holders with a ₹50,000+ credit limit -Government employees -Employees in government-run non-agricultural businesses -People earning more than ₹10,000/month -Those with landlines and refrigerators -People with well-built, permanent houses- Owners of five acres or more of farmland |
What’s New?
One of the recent updates to the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is, it is going to benefit all elderly individuals who are 70 years old or above.
A new, special card named the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card will be given to senior citizens.
Senior citizens who live in homes and are already covered by the Ayushman Bharat Yojana will get an extra Rs 5 lakh in top-up insurance annually.
How to Apply Ayushman Bharat Yojana?
Individuals can apply both Offline and Online.
Online
- Visit the Ayushman Bharat Yojana’s official website
- Based on your location and family details, use the “Am I Eligible” function to find out whether or not you qualify.
- If you qualify, you will be sent to an application form where you will be required to provide your family’s and personal information.
- Upload the required documents and submit them.
- Your application will go through a verification process upon submission.
- An Ayushman Bharat e-card will be delivered after verification. This card can be used to afford cashless care at hospitals that have accepted it.
Related Scheme: Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana
Offline
- To apply offline, visit a CSC in your locality.
- Provide the required documents and photocopies
- Enter your family and personal information with the CSC operator’s guidance.
- You will be handed an Ayushman Bharat e-Card upon your application verification.
Also, you can get assistance from an authorized hospital to register for the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. You can get help from the hospital employees.
Documents Required
- The Aadhaar Card.
- Proof of age & identity (PAN or Aadhaar card).
- Address verification.
- Details about contact (email, mobile).
- A certificate of caste.
- Certificate of Income.
- Documentation certifying the family’s current status (nuclear or joint).
Ayushman Bharat Yojana is contributing to the development of a more inclusive and healthy society by offering low-income families access to affordable, high-quality healthcare in need. By offering access to cashless treatment with a coverage of 100s of hospitals, This program covers a variety of therapies and guarantees that millions of people can obtain high-quality healthcare without worrying about the expense.
If you are eligible, this program can offer you and your family the necessary health insurance, ensuring you will never be denied the care you need due to any financial circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, even though Ayushman Bharat is mostly for families that satisfy the eligibility requirements, you may still apply for it. If your healthcare practitioner approves both programs, you can take advantage of them.
The size of the family is unlimited. Any member of the qualified household that is identified in the SECC database may be insured.
At any hospital that is affiliated, show your e-card. To confirm your eligibility and provide you with cashless care, the hospital will use your e-Card.
This scheme is applicable throughout India, so you can get care at hospitals that are connected with other states.
Indeed. It is not required to have an Aadhar card to use this scheme.
