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Government Approves Over Rs 200 Crore in Hospital Admissions for Senior Citizens
The expansion of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) on October 29, 2024, has enabled nearly six crore senior citizens from 4.5 crore families to receive free medical treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh per annum, regardless of their socio-economic background.
- By Newsdesk
- New Delhi
- Feb 13, 2025
The government has sanctioned hospital admissions worth Rs 202.96 crore for senior citizens aged 70 and above as of January 28, according to Union Minister of State for Health, Prataprao Jadhav. Addressing the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Jadhav also revealed that more than 47 lakh eligible senior citizens have registered for Ayushman Vay Vandana cards as of February 6.
The expansion of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) on October 29, 2024, has enabled nearly six crore senior citizens from 4.5 crore families to receive free medical treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh per annum, regardless of their socio-economic background.
To facilitate enrollment, the process is application-based, ensuring the effective distribution of benefits. Eligible citizens can apply through various channels, including the Ayushman mobile app and the official web portal (beneficiary.nha.gov.in). Additionally, self-registration is available on these platforms, while physical registration can be completed at empanelled hospitals or Common Service Centres.
A comprehensive media outreach strategy has been implemented under AB-PMJAY to enhance awareness, particularly in rural and underprivileged areas. State Health Agencies have mobilized frontline workers such as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) to drive awareness campaigns at the grassroots level.
The National Health Authority (NHA) has outlined the latest national master list of the Health Benefit Package (HBP), which includes cashless treatments for 1,961 medical procedures across 27 specialties. These specialties cover areas like general medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, and oncology. Senior citizens can avail themselves of treatments such as Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Acute Ischemic Stroke care, Accelerated Hypertension management, and Total Hip and Knee Replacements.
States have also been granted the flexibility to tailor health benefit packages to meet local needs. To encourage participation from both public and private healthcare providers, empanelled hospitals receive additional financial incentives. Institutions with entry-level NABH accreditation receive a 10% increase in package rates, while those with full NABH accreditation benefit from a 15% increase. Hospitals offering post-graduate medical education also receive a 10% incentive on HBP base rates.
These initiatives are part of the government’s broader strategy to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare for senior citizens, reinforcing the commitment to their well-being and medical security.