Diwali bonanza: PM Modi launches Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance scheme with Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card for seniors above 70 years

Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance scheme: Two days prior to Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled an extension of health insurance coverage for all individuals over 70 years old. The extended plan falls under the flagship initiative Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), which was introduced on Dhanvantari Jayanti and the 9th Ayurveda Day.

Under the extended scheme, from October 29 onwards, those who get the Ayushman Vaya Vandana card can receive free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at any of the AB PMJAY empaneled hospitals.

At an event held at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi, PM Modi distributed the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card to the recipients. The rollout of the Ayushman Bharat program for seniors over 70 was officially announced last month. 

According to the PIB's social media account on X, "Prime Minister @narendramodi launches the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to extend healthcare coverage to all citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of socio-economic status. This ensures accessible and affordable care for all senior citizens. With coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh annually for free treatment, the scheme sets new standards in healthcare accessibility and inclusivity for our elders."

Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card

The benefits of AB PM-JAY will be accessible to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their economic conditions. Senior citizens will receive the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card under the expanded Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance program. Possession of this card by an elderly member of the household will lead to a decrease in family expenditures and a reduction in worries.

According to a post on PMJAY-UP's (Ayushman Bharat Uttar Pradesh) X page: "The first #AyushmanVayVandanaCard was presented by Honorable PM Shri @narendramodi to beneficiary Panchanan Shukla from #Deoria, #UttarPradesh. All senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive health coverage of 5 lakh."

"Now, every senior citizen above the age of 70 will receive free treatment in hospitals. These senior citizens will be issued the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card. This scheme is expected to be a milestone. If an elderly person in the household has the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card, family expenses will be reduced, and their worries will also diminish," a PIB tweet stated.

The PIB message said: "Expressing satisfaction on the expansion of Ayushman Yojana, Shri Modi said that every elderly person was looking forward to it and the poll guarantee, if elected for the third term, of bringing all the elderly above 70 years of age under the ambit of Ayushman Yojana was being fulfilled. He added that every elderly person above 70 years of age in the country will get free treatment in the hospital by a Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card. Shri Modi highlighted that the card was universal and there was no restriction on income, be it poor or middle class or upper class. Informing that the scheme would prove to be a milestone for its universal applicability, Shri Modi remarked that with a Ayushman Vaya Vandana card for an elderly in the house, the Out-of-Pocket expenditure will be reduced to a great extent. He congratulated all the countrymen for this scheme and also informed that the scheme was not implemented in Delhi and West Bengal," stated a PIB release issued on October 29, 2024."