More households than ever are getting access to affordable healthcare. Government stats show that as many as 6 crore senior citizens have been enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), with more than 19,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras running across the country. Thanks to these programmes, citizens have reportedly saved more than Rs 40,000 crore on medicines.
If you’re curious about whether you or your family can benefit from PM-JAY, here's what you need to know.
What is PM-JAY?
AB-PMJAY is a government-funded health insurance scheme that provides cashless healthcare coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
Launched on September 23, 2018, the scheme aims to improve access to healthcare by enabling eligible beneficiaries to receive treatment at empanelled public and private hospitals without making out-of-pocket payments.
Who is eligible for an Ayushman Card?
Every Indian citizen aged 70 years and above is eligible for coverage under the scheme, irrespective of income level or existing health insurance coverage.
Even beneficiaries covered under government healthcare schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) can opt for Ayushman Bharat coverage.
"Ayushman Bharat cards are issued to families registered in the 2010 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data and families who meet certain occupational requirements for the city in which they are registered," says Arun ramamurthy, co-founder, staywell.health.
According to the government, there is no cap on family size or the age of family members covered under the scheme. Pre-existing diseases are also covered from the first day of enrolment.
What are the benefits provided under the PM-JAY scheme?
AB PM-JAY provides a cashless cover of up to Rs 5,00,000/- to each eligible family per annum for listed secondary and tertiary care conditions. The scheme covers:
- Medical examination, treatment, and consultation
- Pre-hospitalisation
- Medicine and medical consumables
- Non-intensive and intensive care services
- Diagnostic and laboratory investigations
- Medical implantation services (where necessary)
- Accommodation benefits
- Food services
- Complications arising during treatment
- Post-hospitalisation follow-up care up to 15 days
Documents required for Ayushman Card
To obtain an Ayushman Card, the following documents are listed:
- Aadhaar Card
- Ration Card
- Mobile Number
- Passport-size Photograph
Additional documents that may help:
- e-Shram Card
- Labour Card
- Other government identification cards
How to apply online for an Ayushman card?
Eligible individuals can apply online through the PM-JAY beneficiary portal by following these steps:
- Visit the official beneficiary portal.
- Select the "Beneficiary" option on the login page.
- Enter your mobile number and verify it using the OTP received.
- Select PM-JAY under the scheme section.
- Choose your state and district.
- Search for your details using the available search options, including Aadhaar.
- Complete the verification process by uploading the required photograph and providing details such as the PIN code and OTP.
- Submit the application.
Applicants can check the status of their application by logging in again after approximately 24 hours.
