Ayushman Bharat Beneficiaries To Get Health Cards By Year-End

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to virtually introduce the much-anticipated Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) on October 29 in a major boost to the healthcare industry. Speaking to reporters, Mukesh Mahaling, the minister of health and family welfare for Odisha, stated that all residents 70 years of age and over will be eligible for free medical care up to Rs 5 lakh at any participating facility under this ambitious plan. Odisha hasn’t yet adopted the Ayushman Bharat program, though.

“As the Ayushman Bharat scheme has not yet been implemented in Odisha, the state government is preparing the necessary modalities to ensure a smooth rollout. Beneficiaries will receive health cards that will cover both the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the existing Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, with plans to issue these cards by the end of the financial year,” he said.

Minister Mahaling emphasised, “The Health Department is taking all necessary steps to include approximately 3.5 crore people under the scheme, out of Odisha’s total population of 4.5 crore. We are optimistic about a major launch of both Phase I and Phase II of the scheme in the state soon, aiming for implementation by the end of this financial year. The combined health card will allow beneficiaries to access services at 27,000 empaneled hospitals, a significant increase from the previous 950 hospitals.”