New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) As on February 28, a total of 11.69 crore hospital admissions across the country, amounting to Rs 1.73 lakh crore, have been authorised under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Out of these, 4.40 crore hospital admissions amounting to Rs 68,302.23 crore were authorised during the last two financial years — FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25.
The significant utilisation of the scheme indicates that eligible beneficiaries are availing the benefit to access healthcare services, thereby reducing their out-of-pocket expenditure, Jadhav said in a written reply.
The AB-PMJAY provides health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to 12 crore families constituting the bottom 40 per cent of India’s population.
In March 2024, approximately 37 lakh families of accredited social health activists, and Anganwadi workers and helpers were included under the scheme. The scheme was further expanded to cover six crore senior citizens of age 70 years and above, belonging to 4.5 crore families irrespective of their socio-economic status.
As on February 28,a total of 43.52 crore Ayushman cards have been created, including 1.14 crore cards created under the Ayushman Vay Vandana category for senior citizens aged 70 years and above, Jadhav stated.
Also, a total of 36,229 hospitals have been empanelled under the scheme across the country, of which 19,483 are public and 16,746 are private hospitals.
Since the launch of the scheme, the health benefit packages have been revised five times.
Initially, the scheme included 1,391 packages, but the latest Health Benefit Package 2022, comprises 1,961 packages across 27 specialties. This includes packages for chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other non-communicable diseases, Jadhav said. PTI PLB ARB ARB
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