5 Lakh Seniors Sign Up for Ayushman Bharat After Scheme’s Expansion

The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has enrolled nearly five lakh senior citizens aged 70 and above since its recent expansion.

The scheme, which was extended to include this age group regardless of income, has seen significant participation across the country.

The highest number of enrollments has been recorded in Madhya Pradesh (1.66 lakh), followed by Kerala (1.28 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (69,044), and Gujarat (25,491). The expansion of the health assurance scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi two weeks ago, and more than five lakh applications have been received to date. Of these, 4.69 lakh applications have been approved.

Before the expansion, the AB-PMJAY primarily covered vulnerable and poor families, along with certain categories of workers, such as ASHA workers. The scheme provides an annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

An official from the National Health Authority (NHA), which oversees the implementation of the scheme, stated that they had shared Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials with all states to raise awareness. The official expressed confidence that more senior citizens will come forward for enrollment as awareness spreads.

Eligible beneficiaries can apply for the Ayushman Bharat Senior Citizen Scheme online via the official website (www.beneficiary.nha.gov.in) or through the Ayushman app. The application process is simple, requiring beneficiaries to verify their identity and eligibility through Aadhaar e-KYC, which serves as both the primary identification document and proof of age and residence. 

Launched in 2018, AB-PMJAY is the world's largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, providing health coverage to 55 crore people, including 12.34 crore vulnerable families.