Overview of Ayushman Bharat Yojana
Scheme Description:
- Ayushman Bharat Yojana includes PM-JAY, the world’s largest government-funded healthcare program.
- Provides health insurance coverage of up to INR 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
- Operates on the principle of portability, allowing cashless treatment across empaneled hospitals.
Eligibility:
- Determined using the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) database.
- Rural and urban families meeting specific deprivation criteria outlined in the scheme.
Benefits:
- Reduces financial burden by covering medical expenses, including pre-existing conditions.
- Ensures comprehensive coverage with quality medical services and minimum standard maintenance in hospitals.
- Catalyzes healthcare reform and job creation, with significant savings for beneficiary families.
Diseases Covered:
- Encompasses 1,400 medical procedures, including critical ailments like cardiac surgeries, cancer treatment, and COVID-19 care.
Objectives:
- Prioritizes poor and deprived rural families, along with identified urban occupational groups.
- Focuses on transparency, accountability, and strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure through Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs).
Challenges:
- Shortage of doctors and specialists, human resource crisis, and uneven distribution of healthcare professionals.
- Inadequate addressing of systemic shortcomings in the healthcare system, hindering comprehensive coverage.
Ayushman Bharat Yojana represents a significant step towards achieving universal health coverage but requires sustained efforts to overcome challenges for long-term success.
