Centre steps up on gas to increase 70+ enrolment in Ayushman Bharat

BJP machinery comes to aid as coverage remains modest 4% in over one month since launch

After over one month since the launch of the expanded Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to provide insurance cover to those aged 70 and above, the Centre is using enrolment drives and IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) campaigns, along with some help from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s machinery, for adding beneficiaries under the scheme.

 

This comes as over 2.68 million Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana cards have been issued since the scheme’s launch to date, with the number making up for a modest 4.47 per cent achievement of the Centre’s estimate of 60 million eligible beneficiaries under the scheme.

 

 

In Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar districts of Uttar Pradesh (UP), several BJP functionaries have started enrolment camps. Messages inviting residents of various housing societies in Ghaziabad for medical camps and Ayushman enrolment via mobile phones have started doing rounds on WhatsApp.

 

One such invitation by a district BJP functionary in Ghaziabad asks residents to attend a free “Ayushman-cum-dental checkup camp”, with Aadhaar cards and mobile numbers linked to the card.

 

A similar sight could be seen in north Mumbai’s Mulund, with local BJP leaders leading the charge. In a post on social media app X, Mihir Kotecha, BJP MLA from Mulund, shared that his team had registered over 1,000 senior citizens aged 70 or above in three days of a special camp.

 

“The registrations would go on in my office till January 15, to cover almost 35,000 eligible beneficiaries living in the assembly constituency,” posts on his X timeline stated. 

 

While the BJP machinery’s involvement in reaching out to beneficiaries was also seen during this year’s general election campaign, the NHA (National Health Authority) is now working to create awareness among senior citizens for the expanded AB-PMJAY scheme.

 

Responding to queries regarding ways of implementation for the scheme, the NHA told Business Standard that it is working in collaboration with the State Health Agencies (SHAs) to ensure all senior citizens eligible for the Ayushman Vaya Vandana card are registered.

 

“Besides this, the Ayushman application or web portal enabled with self-verification feature is helping the elderly register for Ayushman Vaya Vandana card using mobile phones within the comforts of their home,” the NHA added.

 

Experts believe that the initial slowness in pace can be due to the scheme being just one month old, with the rate expected to pick up from the announcement of fresh allocation under the Union Budget in February next year.

 

A public health expert, who did not want to be named, highlighted that there remains a need for outreach initiatives, simplified processes, and localised efforts to bridge gaps in awareness and accessibility.

 

“Empowering communities with information and support will be critical to unlocking the full potential of this transformative initiative,” he added.

 

On the other hand, hospitals empanelled under AB-PMJAY say that the modest rate can be due to the scheme being in early stages of implementation, and that there have been concerns about the reimbursement process for empanelled hospitals in the expanded scheme of things.

 

Commenting on the same, Giridhar Gyani, director general, Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI), said that delay in claims settlement has created some operational challenges for healthcare providers, affecting the smooth functioning of services under the overall scheme.

 

“It may be quite early for the industry to suggest any steps to the government or NHA as it has been only one month, but we can see some advocacy in the form of consortiums or dialogues among the industry,” Gyani added.

 

The hospital body would also urge the government and the NHA to streamline the claims process to ensure timely reimbursements, which will support hospitals in maintaining the quality of care. 

 

The health ministry stated that treatment worth Rs 40 crore has been provided to more than 22,000 beneficiaries under the expanded AB-PMJAY. Among the packages availed by the beneficiaries of Ayushman Vaya Vandana card include cataract surgery, haemodialysis, gall bladder removal, and cardiology-related treatment.

 

Under the expanded PMJAY, everyone aged 70 or more will be entitled to health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh annually, irrespective of socio-economic status.

 

While all eligible beneficiaries can now register for the scheme, elderly members of families that are covered under the PMJAY will have to register afresh to receive the cover of Rs 5 lakh in addition to the Rs 5 lakh given to the family.

 

Data with the NHA shows while 1.88 million new beneficiaries have registered till now, over 798,000 are existing beneficiaries who have re-registered. The latter category has seen over 1,164 applications rejected to date.