New Delhi, July 29 (UNI) The Government has broadened the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) – to encompass all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their economic background, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
Beneficiaries under this enhanced scheme are entitled to receive free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh annually through the Ayushman Vay Vandana cards, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav said in a written reply to a query.
A significant feature of both AB-PMJAY and the Vay Vandana scheme is the portability of benefits, allowing beneficiaries to avail treatment at any of the 31,466 empanelled hospitals across the country, irrespective of their domicile. This ensures uninterrupted access to quality healthcare services for senior citizens nationwide.
Moreover, beneficiaries under the Vay Vandana scheme have access to a network of 14,194 private healthcare providers included in the scheme. To uphold consistent service standards and ensure quality care, the National Health Authority (NHA) has issued detailed Hospital Empanelment and Management (HEM) Guidelines governing hospital empanelment under AB-PMJAY, the Minister added.
Since its inception, the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme has facilitated the settlement of over 1.06 lakh claims, highlighting its expanding role in improving healthcare access for the elderly, he added.
“To ensure quality and consistency in service delivery, the National Health Authority (NHA) has issued comprehensive Hospital Empanelment and Management (HEM) Guidelines for the empanelment of hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), said the Minister.
