Why in news?
Ayushman Bharat recently celebrated its seventh anniversary, with the government highlighting its transformative impact on public healthcare and expansion of coverage for senior citizens and gig workers nationwide.
 
Key Achievements and Data

• Over 41-42 crore Ayushman Cards have been issued, enabling cashless treatment for families at empanelled hospitals.
• More than 10.3 crore hospital admissions have been authorized, resulting in over ₹1.48 lakh crore worth of cashless care and reducing out-of-pocket health expenses for patients.
• The beneficiary base expanded to 12 crore families, including ASHA and anganwadi workers (as of 2024).
• Uttar Pradesh leads in implementing Ayushman Bharat, covering 87% of eligible families, with the highest number of empanelled hospitals nationwide.

About Ayushman Bharat
Ayushman Bharat is the Government of India’s flagship health protection initiative, targeting Universal Health Coverage and financial risk reduction for secondary and tertiary healthcare.
 
Key Components
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY):

• World's largest government-funded health assurance scheme, providing cashless coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year.
• Covers hospitalization expenses for over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families (about 50 crore beneficiaries), focusing on the poorest 40% of the population as per SECC 2011.
• Entire family, regardless of size or age, is covered; all pre-existing illnesses are included from day one.
• Facilities include public and private hospitals across India, covering most secondary and tertiary procedures, pre and post-hospitalization expenses, medicines, diagnostics, and transport allowance.
• Senior citizens aged 70+ now receive coverage irrespective of income, with a distinct card under recent scheme expansion.

Health and Wellness Centres:

• Transforming 1.5 lakh existing Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres into Health and Wellness Centres offering comprehensive primary healthcare, free essential drugs and diagnostics, and preventive services, including NCD screening and mental health.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

• Creates a national digital health ecosystem connecting hospitals, healthcare providers, and citizens through Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and Health Facility Registry (HFR).
• Ensures digital storage and sharing of health records with privacy, security, and user consent, enabling access to timely and efficient health services (including telemedicine).
• As of August 2025 Over 79.9 crore ABHAs created, 4.19 lakh health facilities and 6.8 lakh healthcare professionals registered, and 67.2 crore linked health records.

Salient Features

• Benefits: Free treatment for multiple surgeries, critical illness coverage, chronic & catastrophic conditions, day-care procedures, pre/post hospitalization, discharge care, and transportation benefits.
• Eligibility: Based on deprivation and occupational criteria from SECC 2011. Women, children, elderly included and no cap on family size.
• Access: Ayushman Card ensures portability for cashless services across India; easy, paperless process.
• Monitoring: Implementation monitored by the National Health Authority with state and central dashboards.
• To move from a segmented health delivery approach to comprehensive, need-based care at all levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
• The program addresses both preventive and curative healthcare, promoting health and wellness as well as financial protection from catastrophic health expenditures.

Social Impact

• Reduces catastrophic health expenditure, bridges rural-urban health access gap, drives digital health inclusion, and empowers citizens with seamless health entitlements.
• Supports Sustainable Development Goals and India’s move toward Universal Health Coverage.

Ayushman Bharat aims to address gaps in the Indian healthcare system by improving access, equity, and quality, and supporting the goal of “leaving no one behind” as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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