Ayushman Bharat: Eligible to All Senior Citizens Over 70 |Insurance Scheme Explained | News9

That India will get older before it gets richer may still be a concern for policymakers, and reports by private insurance players suggest that a single hospitalization can wipe out as much as 50% of a family’s savings in one fell swoop. Most personal finance experts advocate for the need of health insurance coverage. India’s own Ayushman Bharat scheme – launched in 2018 – was meant to protect citizens from ballooning healthcare expenses for the underprivileged.
Now, in a bid to further deepen health insurance penetration in the country, particularly for senior citizens, the Modi government has decided to expand the scope of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Jojna, making every citizen above the age of 70, socio-economic status notwithstanding, eligible for opting in.
Remember, the scheme was earlier restricted to only poor and vulnerable entitled families.
Ayushman Bharat is touted to be the largest health assurance scheme in the world, providing cashless health cover of ₹5 lakhs per family per year for hospitalisation – no matter the size of the family availing this cover. Over 12 crores families, and nearly 55 crore beneficiaries, forming the bottom 40% of the Indian population, are stated by the government to have been beneficiaries of the scheme.
Interim government data showed that by August 2020 – just two years since the launch of the scheme – 1.09 crore cases of hospitalisation were reported. Cut to 2024 – that number swelled to 7.37 crore hospitalisations and foregone billing of ₹1 lakh crore.
The households included under Ayushman Bharat were based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 for both rural and urban areas.
But now, in a major expansion of the scheme, the Union Cabinet has approved the health coverage to everyone over the age of 70 irrespective of their income. The move is likely to benefit an additional 4.5 crore families, and approximately 6 crore individuals.
The finer details of the revised policy state that
1. Senior citizens of the age 70 years and above who are already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as CGHS, ECHS or CAPF may either choose their existing scheme or opt for Ayushman Bharat PMJAY.
2. Senior citizens of 70 years and above who are under private health insurance policies or Employees’ State Insurance scheme will also be eligible to avail benefits under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.
3. The government also says that senior citizens aged 70 and above and belonging to families already covered under Ayushman Bharat, will now get an additional shared top-up cover up to ₹5 lakh per year for themselves.
Remember, the scheme continues to be fully funded by the Government. There is no annual insurance premium to be paid, and the cost of implementation is shared between the Centre and State Governments. With increasing longevity and shifting demographics, India’s population of the elderly is said to more than double from 8.6% of the population today, to 19.5% of India’s population by 2050. No doubt, the outlay of the scheme will see a proportional increase year on year. Will India be able to afford it in coming decades is yet to be assessed. ..............................................................................................

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[muraleedharanmk]

There is only news on Ayushman Bharath and nothing regarding to avail the Health Cards.

[ramanarayanan]

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