The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PM-JAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat, is a government-sponsored health insurance scheme that provides financial assistance to low-income families in India for medical care. This scheme aims to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for millions of Indians.
Key benefits of Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana
- Financial Coverage: Ayushman Bharat offers coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary healthcare services. This includes hospitalization expenses, pre and post hospitalization costs, medicines, and daycare treatments.
- Wide Coverage: The scheme targets nearly 40% of India’s population, including poor and vulnerable families in rural areas and identified occupational categories of urban workers’ families.
- Cashless Treatment: Beneficiaries can avail cashless treatment at empanelled government and private hospitals across India.
- Family Coverage: The scheme covers a beneficiary’s entire family, including spouse and dependent children.
- Pre-Existing Conditions: Unlike many private health insurance plans, Ayushman Bharat covers pre-existing medical conditions.
Eligibility for Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana
The scheme targets economically disadvantaged families based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. Here’s a breakdown of eligibility criteria:
- Rural Families: Identified based on six deprivation criteria, including families with no earning adult member, households headed by females with no adult male members, and households belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
- Urban Families: Families must belong to one of the listed occupational categories, such as street vendors, construction workers, domestic workers, sanitation workers, and transport workers.
How to Register for Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana
Beneficiaries can register for Ayushman Bharat online through the PMJAY website. The registration process involves entering your mobile number, selecting your state, and providing details like ration card number or RSBY URN number. The website will display your eligibility status and family member details if enrolled.
How to Claim Cashless Treatment under Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana
Enrolled families receive an enrollment letter with a QR code. Empanelled hospitals have Ayushman Mitras to assist beneficiaries. The Ayushman Mitra verifies your eligibility by scanning the QR code and facilitates cashless treatment upon confirmation.