The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their income under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

Briefing newspersons, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the decision will benefit approximately 4.5 crore families with six crore senior citizens with a Rs 5 lakh free health insurance cover on a family basis.

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Senior citizens of 70 years and above age who are already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) may either choose their existing scheme or opt for AB PMJAY.

With today’s decision, all senior citizens of age 70 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status will be eligible to avail the benefits of AB PM-JAY.

The eligible senior citizens will be issued a new distinct card under AB PM-JAY. The senior citizens of the age 70 years and above belonging to families already covered under AB PM-JAY will get an additional top-up cover up to Rs 5 lakh per year for themselves (which they do not have to share with the other members of the family, who are below the age of 70 years).

It has been clarified that senior citizens of 70 years and above who are under private health insurance policies or Employees’ State Insurance scheme will be eligible to avail benefits under AB PM-JAY.

The AB PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme which provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to 55 crore individuals corresponding to 12.34 crore families.

All members of the eligible families irrespective of age are covered under the scheme. The scheme has covered 7.37 crore hospital admissions including 49 per cent women beneficiaries. The public has benefited to the extent of over Rs 1 lakh crore under the scheme.

The AB PM-JAY scheme has witnessed continuous expansion of the beneficiary base. Initially, 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families comprising the bottom 40 per cent of India’s population were covered under the scheme.

Later, the Government, in January 2022 revised the beneficiary base under AB PM-JAY from 10.74 crore to 12 crore families considering India’s decadal population growth of 11.7 per cent over 2011 population.

The scheme was further expanded to cover 37 lakh ASHAs/AWWs/AWHs working across the country and their families for free healthcare benefits. Taking the mission ahead, the AB PM-JAY would now provide free healthcare coverage of Rs 5 lakh to all citizens of the age-group of 70 years and above across the country.