Union Budget 2024: Will Ayushman Bharat get a boost to widen coverage for senior citizens?

Union Budget: The Union Budget to be presented shortly is expected to officially incorporate individuals aged 70 and over into the prominent health insurance program Ayushman Bharat, which is spearheaded by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The program, formally referred to as Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), is set to be extended to include those in their seventies and beyond, a commitment that was initially highlighted in PM Modi's election manifesto and later confirmed by President Droupadi Murmu.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is considered to be the largest publicly funded health insurance scheme globally. It provides coverage to approximately 55 crore beneficiaries belonging to the lower strata of the population, accounting for nearly 40% of India's total population. 

The PM-JAY scheme provides cashless and paperless insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per annum per family in empanelled hospitals. The expansion aims to double the beneficiary base of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme over the next three years, starting with individuals aged above 70. This move is expected to provide substantial relief to seniors facing rising healthcare costs and limited incomes. The scheme has already facilitated 68.6 million hospital admissions, with a significant proportion of these in southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.