Ayushman Bharat free health insurance now covers everyone above 70
The Union Cabinet has approved free health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year for all citizens aged 70 years and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). This decision will benefit nearly 4.5 crore families, covering an estimated six crore senior citizens across India. The newly-introduced provision will be implemented in a demand-based manner, with an initial outlay of ₹3,437 crore.
Scheme details and eligibility criteria unveiled
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Health Ministry would soon reveal the rollout details for this program. The new policy extends health cover to senior citizens regardless of their income or socio-economic status. "All senior citizens of the age 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, would be eligible to avail the benefits of AB PM-JAY," Vaishnaw said.
Additional benefits for existing AB PM-JAY beneficiaries
AB PM-JAY, the world's largest publicly funded health insurance program covering 55 crore individuals across 12.34 crore families, will now provide an additional layer of protection for senior citizens. Those who are already part of families covered under AB PM-JAY will receive an extra top-up cover of ₹5 lakh exclusively for senior members. "The senior citizens...belonging to families already covered under AB PM-JAY will get an additional top-up cover of ₹5 lakh per year for themselves," the Union Cabinet said.
Option to switch for those under other healthcare schemes
For those currently enrolled in other healthcare schemes, such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) or the Employees' State Insurance scheme (ESI), they will have the option to switch to AB PM-JAY or retain their existing coverage. "Senior citizens...who are under private health insurance policies or Employees' State Insurance scheme will be eligible to avail benefits under AB PM-JAY," Vaishnaw clarified.
PM Modi's announcement and scheme's expansion
The expansion of the beneficiary base comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced the initiative in April 2024. The government had earlier expanded the AB PM-JAY scheme in January 2022 to include 12 crore families, taking into account India's population growth. "The AB PM-JAY scheme has witnessed continuous expansion of the beneficiary base," the official statement said.
