&w=1024&resize=1024,0&ssl=1 "AB-PMJAY | This could be followed by more health packages focusing on elder care news from India")
The National Health Authority, the implementing agency of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), is assessing the need to add more health packages for the elderly as the government prepares to introduce health insurance for all senior citizens. 70 years and more.
Government sources said the expanded scheme, which will benefit an estimated six billion citizens from around 4.5 crore households, is likely to be launched by the end of this month.
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“The committee deciding on health benefit packages under the program is considering the need to add more health packages exclusively for geriatric care as the number of such beneficiaries will increase with the launch of the program,” an official source said.
Currently, the program offers comprehensive coverage covering 1,949 medical procedures in 27 medical specialties, such as general medicine, surgery, oncology and cardiology.
Hospital services including medicines (including medicines for 15 days after discharge), diagnostics (up to three days before admission), food and accommodation are provided free of charge to the beneficiary.
“The current program also includes admission requirements for certain mental health conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia,” the source said.
Be it a poor, middle class, upper middle class or rich person, every person aged 70 years and above is eligible for Ayushman card and gets free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh upon extension in hospitals located in AB-PMJAY leaves. The program starts.
As of September 1, a total of 29,648 hospitals, including 12,696 private ones, have participated in the program, which is currently being implemented in 33 states and Union Territories, except Delhi, Odisha and West Bengal.
Another official source said that anyone above 70 years of age as per Aadhaar card will be eligible to apply for the scheme. It is an app-based program and according to sources, you need to register on the PMJAY portal or Ayushman app.
“People who already have an Ayushman card will have to re-apply for a new card and complete the EKYC again,” the source said.
Senior citizens aged 70 years and above, belonging to families already covered by AB-PMJAY, will get an additional top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per annum for themselves, which does not have to be shared with other family members below the age of 70 years.
Officials previously said seniors aged 70 and older covered by private health insurance or state employment insurance would also be eligible for benefits under the program.
However, people already availing other public health insurance schemes such as Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Employees Contributory Health Insurance Scheme (ECHS) and Central Ayushman Armed Forces (CAPF) can either opt for the existing scheme. Or select AB-PMJAY.
7.37 crore hospitalizations have been covered under this scheme, of which 49 per cent are women. The health ministry had earlier said that the public has benefited to the tune of over Rs 1 lakh crore from the scheme.
The AB-PMJAY program is constantly expanding its beneficiary base. According to estimates, the scheme initially covered 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, constituting 40 per cent of India's lowest population.
In January 2022, the central government revised the beneficiary base from 10.74 crore to 12 crore households, taking into account India's decadal population growth of 11.7% compared to the 2011 population.
The program was then expanded to cover 37 lakh ASHAs, AWWs and AWHs and their families working in free healthcare facilities across the country.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been modified by Business Standards staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
