Cabinet expands Ayushman Bharat health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 and above
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved an expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to provide health coverage for all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of income. This move is set to benefit approximately 6 crore senior citizens across 4.5 crore families, offering up to ₹5 lakh per family annually for healthcare coverage.
Under this scheme, all senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive a distinct AB PM-JAY card. For those already part of families covered under AB PM-JAY, an additional top-up of ₹5 lakh per year will be provided exclusively for the senior member, without sharing the benefit with younger family members. Others will receive a family-based coverage of ₹5 lakh per year.
Senior citizens aged 70 and above who are currently enrolled in public health schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), and Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have the option to continue with their existing scheme or switch to AB PM-JAY. Those under private health insurance or the Employees’ State Insurance scheme will also be eligible for AB PM-JAY benefits.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, providing ₹5 lakh health coverage annually to 12.34 crore families across India. Since its launch, the scheme has facilitated over 7.37 crore hospital admissions, with 49% of the beneficiaries being women. So far, the scheme has saved beneficiaries over ₹1 lakh crore in healthcare expenses.
The expansion to cover senior citizens aged 70 and above was originally announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2024. Initially covering 10.74 crore vulnerable families, the scheme was expanded in January 2022 to include 12 crore families, accounting for population growth. It was further extended to cover 37 lakh ASHA workers, anganwadi workers, and their families. This latest enhancement underscores the government’s commitment to providing comprehensive healthcare coverage to the elderly across the country.
The expansion of AB PM-JAY continues to bolster the nation’s healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that India’s aging population receives the medical support they need.
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