Ayushman Bharat Coverage: If you or your family are beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat, the biggest health scheme run by the Modi government, then this will make you happy. The government is planning to double the number of beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme in the next three years. According to sources, all people above 70 years of age will be included in the scope of the scheme first. The central government can increase the insurance coverage to Rs 10 lakh annually in the budget of the year 2024. An announcement regarding this can be made by the Finance Minister in the budget to be presented on July 23.
There will be an additional expenditure of Rs 12076 crore annually
PTI’s report said that according to the National Health Authority’s estimate, this proposal will cost the government exchequer an additional Rs 12,076 crore annually. According to sources of news agency PTI, there is a plan to double the number of beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the next three years. If this happens, more than two-thirds of the country’s population will be able to get the benefit of this health insurance scheme. Apart from this, a proposal to double the limit of insurance amount from the current Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh is also being considered.
Health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh for a family
In the interim budget for the year 2024, the government has increased the amount allocated for Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Under this scheme, a family is given health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh every year. This can be used on hospitalization for the treatment of serious diseases. Now the budget for this scheme has been increased to Rs 7,200 crore to cover 12 crore families. Also, Rs 646 crore has been separately allocated for Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
30% of the population does not get the benefit of health insurance
NITI Aayog had suggested expanding the scope of the scheme in the report ‘Health Insurance for India’s Missing Middle’ published in October 2021. According to the report, about 30% of the country’s population still does not get the benefit of health insurance. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is the flagship scheme of the government which is working towards providing health insurance to everyone in the country. State governments also have their own health insurance policies. Together, about 50% of the country’s population is given financial assistance when hospitalized for the treatment of serious diseases.