In a significant move to enhance healthcare accessibility and affordability, the Indian government is reportedly considering doubling the insurance cover under the Ayushman Bharat health scheme. Official sources revealed on Wednesday that the proposed increase aims to raise the coverage to Rs 10 lakh, particularly to support individuals facing high medical expenditures for diseases such as cancer and transplants.
An official announcement about this development is expected to be made during the upcoming interim Union Budget on February 1, according to sources cited by PTI. The Union health ministry is also contemplating doubling the beneficiaries to a staggering 100 crore under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. This expansion plan includes the inclusion of Kisan Samman Nidhi recipients, construction workers, non-coal mine workers, and ASHA workers over the next three years.
“To ensure that serious illnesses requiring expenditure of more than Rs 5 lakh such as transplants and high-cost cancer treatments are also covered under AB PMJAY, the ministry is working on finalizing a proposal to increase the cover amount from Rs 5 lakh per family per year to Rs 10 lakh per family per year from 2024-25 onwards,” stated the sources.
The proposed increase in coverage to Rs 10 lakh per family per year and the rise in the beneficiary base to 100 crore individuals will necessitate an additional allocation of Rs 12,076 crore per annum, as per the sources.
Since its inception in 2018, the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme has successfully facilitated 6.2 crore hospital admissions, totaling more than Rs 79,157 crore. The scheme, providing health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, has been a crucial support for 12 crore beneficiary families.
The budget allocated for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY for the financial year 2023-24 is Rs 7,200 crore, expected to more than double to around Rs 15,000 crore in the financial year 2025.
The Ayushman Bharat PMJAY achieved a significant milestone by generating 30 crore Ayushman cards on January 12. Uttar Pradesh leads the states with the highest number of Ayushman cards at 4.83 crore, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The expansion and increase in coverage signify the government’s commitment to achieving gender parity, regional parity, and income parity in access to healthcare services. With 49% of Ayushman cards issued to female beneficiaries and 48% of treatments provided to females, gender equity remains a core design principle of the scheme.
