Vaishali, July 8 (IANS) In a heartfelt testimony to the life-changing impact of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Manohar Das, a resident of Arniya Panchayat in Jandaha block of Vaishali district of Bihar, shared how the flagship healthcare scheme saved his life after he suffered severe health complications.
“A few months ago, I was bleeding from my mouth continuously for 24 hours. My family initially took me to a local hospital. But when my condition didn’t improve, I was referred to Samay Hospital in Saguna More, Patna,” Manohar told IANS.
“There, I was treated for four days. When they asked for an Ayushman card, I provided it, and from that moment, all treatment was done free of cost — including timely medical care, food, and other facilities. Today, I am healthy and back home with my family.”
Expressing his gratitude, Manohar added, “I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching a scheme that has become a boon for middle-class and poor families like mine.”
Launched by the Government of India, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the world’s largest government-funded health insurance scheme.
It offers health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisations, targeting nearly 55 crore beneficiaries across 12.37 crore families, primarily from the economically weaker sections.
Over time, several States and Union Territories have merged their health insurance schemes with AB PM-JAY, extending coverage to more than 18 crore families nationwide.
In March 2024, the scheme was further expanded to include 37 lakh families of ASHA workers, Anganwadi Workers, and Anganwadi Helpers. On October 29, 2024, another major expansion brought all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income, under the scheme’s coverage. This move is expected to benefit nearly 6 crore elderly individuals across the country.
As of November 30, 2024, nearly 36 crore beneficiaries have been verified under AB PM-JAY, with over 8.39 crore hospital admissions authorised. The total treatment cost covered so far exceeds Rs 1.16 lakh crore, significantly reducing out-of-pocket expenditure for millions of families.
The Government has also launched the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme to extend health benefits to the elderly and is integrating services through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which has already issued over 77 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHAs) for seamless access to healthcare.
–IANS
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