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Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Ayushman enrolments see dip as private hospitals back off over rates, delays
Ayushman enrolments see dip as private hospitals back off over rates, delays (Picture credit: PTI) NEW DELHI: Empanelment of hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat-PM Jan Arogya Yojana has dropped significantly, from an average of 316 per month in 2024 to 111 per month in 2025, as of April. Data shared by National Health Authority (NHA) on scheme's dashboard shows that 443 hospitals were empanelled under the AB-PMJAY across India in four months - 161 in Jan, 187 in Feb, 40 in March and 55 in April. In May, the latest update shows, 20 hospitals were empanelled. Many healthcare associations point out that low package rates and delayed payments are key reasons behind the lukewarm response to government schemes from the private sector, especially large corporate hospital chains. However, a senior official of NHA - the implementing agency of the AB-PMJAY - said empanelment is taking place and that some of the new empanelments may not have been updated as they were migrating to a new system. AB-PMJAY, which is available in all states/UTs, except West Bengal, offers treatment worth Rs 5 lakh and, in some cases, more, per family for treatment of nearly 2,000 procedures involving specialties, including medical oncology (cancer treatment), emergency care, orthopaedic and urology (kidney-related ailments). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The CEO of a top hospital chain in Delhi, the latest state to join the scheme, told TOI that package rates offered for various procedures under the AB-PMJAY were lower than their input cost. "We may join the scheme if the package rates are increased," he said. The Indian Medical Association has also stressed on the need to increase package rates to make treatment under the scheme more sustainable. "The rates should be raised to at least CGHS level," said an IMA office-bearer. As many as 609 private hospitals have opted out of the scheme since 2018, minister of state for health Prataprao Jadhav said in a written response to a Parliament question in March. "The reasons for hospitals voluntarily opting out include empanelment only for Covid period, hospitals were closed or non-functional, changes in hospital entity, hospital relocated, ongoing reconstruction or renovation, unavailability of specialist doctors, voluntary withdrawal from scheme, package rates, opting out due to certain treatment packages reserved for public hospitals only (Chhattisgarh and Gujarat), and no referral from public hospitals (Karnataka)," he added.
Economic Times
27-05-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
Ayushman Card for Senior Citizens: How 70+ senior citizens can get Rs 5 lakh free medical cover via App
The government is improving healthcare access for senior citizens. Individuals aged 70 and above can now get free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. This is under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. The Ayushman Vay Vandana Card can be obtained through the Ayushman App. Aadhaar is mandatory for enrolment. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Who can apply for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY? What is the benefit for senior citizens (70+) under PM-JAY? Popular in Wealth 1. UPS benefits announced for these retired govt employees and their spouses: Know how to claim UPS benefits, deadline to apply How to apply for an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Here are important FAQs on Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY In a major step towards improving healthcare accessibility for senior citizens, the government is now providing the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card through the Ayushman App . Under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), a national public health insurance scheme, the Indian government offers free medical treatment coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh for individuals aged 70 and government of India launched the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY on September 23, 2018. The scheme, implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA), provides cashless treatment in secondary and tertiary-both public and empanelled private hospitals- across the Bharat Vay Vandana Card for senior citizens above 70 years: How to enroll to get Rs 5 lakh health insuranceRead more at: senior citizens aged 70 or above, regardless of economic status, are eligible for free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under this government is now offering a special provision for senior citizens aged 70 and above, who can now get their Ayushman Vay Vandana Card issued via the Ayushman App or website to avail up to Rs 5 lakh in free medical treatment annually."Senior citizens aged 70 and above can now get their Ayushman Vay Vandana Card through the Ayushman App and access Rs 5 lakh of free treatment. Watch this video to learn how to create an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card and unlock essential healthcare benefits," said the Ministry of Health in a post on social media X (earlier Twitter).Step 1: Download the Ayushman 2: Log in as a beneficiary or 3: Enter the captcha, mobile number, and do 4: Enter OTP and captcha code, and then click 5: Allow access to the device's 6: Enter the beneficiary's data, including state and Aadhaar 7: If no beneficiary is located, proceed with the eKYC process. Give your agreement for 8: Provide a declaration and fill up the appropriate 9: Enter the beneficiary's mobile number and the 10: Fill in the details, including the category and PIN 11: Add family members' information and proceed to 12: Once e-KYC is complete, you will be able to download the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card after The only eligibility criterion is that the individual must be aged 70 years or above, as determined by the age recorded in their Aadhaar card, regardless of economic Aadhaar-based e-KYC is mandatory for the enrolment and issuance of Ayushman cards for eligible senior is the only document needed for enrolment in the AB PMJAY Senior Citizen the beneficiary can apply for the Ayushman Bharat Senior Citizen Scheme through our website portal - and the Ayushman App (available for Android on the Google Play Store).
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Ayushman Card for Senior Citizens: How 70+ senior citizens can get Rs 5 lakh free medical cover via App
In a major step towards improving healthcare accessibility for senior citizens, the government is now providing the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card through the Ayushman App . Under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), a national public health insurance scheme, the Indian government offers free medical treatment coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh for individuals aged 70 and above. What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY? The government of India launched the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY on September 23, 2018. The scheme, implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA), provides cashless treatment in secondary and tertiary-both public and empanelled private hospitals- across the country. Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana Card for senior citizens above 70 years: How to enroll to get Rs 5 lakh health insurance Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pierce Brosnan's Wife Lost 120 Pounds - This Is Her Now Undo Read more at: Live Events Who can apply for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY? All senior citizens aged 70 or above, regardless of economic status, are eligible for free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under this scheme. What is the benefit for senior citizens (70+) under PM-JAY? The government is now offering a special provision for senior citizens aged 70 and above, who can now get their Ayushman Vay Vandana Card issued via the Ayushman App or website to avail up to Rs 5 lakh in free medical treatment annually. "Senior citizens aged 70 and above can now get their Ayushman Vay Vandana Card through the Ayushman App and access Rs 5 lakh of free treatment. Watch this video to learn how to create an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card and unlock essential healthcare benefits," said the Ministry of Health in a post on social media X (earlier Twitter). How to apply for an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card? Step 1: Download the Ayushman App. Step 2: Log in as a beneficiary or operator. Step 3: Enter the captcha, mobile number, and do authentication. Step 4: Enter OTP and captcha code, and then click Login. Step 5: Allow access to the device's location. Step 6: Enter the beneficiary's data, including state and Aadhaar details. Step 7: If no beneficiary is located, proceed with the eKYC process. Give your agreement for OTP. Step 8: Provide a declaration and fill up the appropriate fields. Step 9: Enter the beneficiary's mobile number and the OTP. Step 10: Fill in the details, including the category and PIN code. Step 11: Add family members' information and proceed to submit. Step 12: Once e-KYC is complete, you will be able to download the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card after approval. Here are important FAQs on Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY What are the eligibility criteria for senior citizens under this scheme? Answer: The only eligibility criterion is that the individual must be aged 70 years or above, as determined by the age recorded in their Aadhaar card, regardless of economic status. Is Aadhaar mandatory for enrolment in the scheme? Yes, Aadhaar-based e-KYC is mandatory for the enrolment and issuance of Ayushman cards for eligible senior citizens. What documents are required to enrol in the AB PM-JAY Senior Citizen Scheme? Aadhaar is the only document needed for enrolment in the AB PMJAY Senior Citizen Scheme. Can we apply for an Ayushman card online for our parents who are 70 or older? Yes, the beneficiary can apply for the Ayushman Bharat Senior Citizen Scheme through our website portal - and the Ayushman App (available for Android on the Google Play Store).
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
MEDISEP revamp: expert panel recommends enhanced insurance coverage
The expert committee constituted by the government to revamp the Medical Insurance Scheme for State Employees and Pensioners (MEDISEP) has recommended enhanced insurance coverage, a larger and more comprehensive package of procedures and improved coverage of catastrophic illnesses under the scheme. The committee has recommended an enhanced basic insurance coverage from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh, based on the framework of the Health Benefits Package (HBP) 2022 formulated by the National Health Authority. However, while the HBP 2022 costing might attract more private hospitals to empanel under the scheme, it would also mean that the current premium would have to be increased by 50% to accommodate this costing. This means that the current monthly premium could go up from ₹500 to ₹750. Adoption of HBP 2022 would mean that many pre-hospitalisation investigative procedures like CT scans and high-cost injections etc. would also get covered under MEDISEP. New conditions under 'emergency procedures' The committee has also recommended expanding the definition of 'emergency procedures' (which earlier included only road traffic accidents, heart attack and stroke), to include 10 more conditions, including electric shock, poisoning, animal attacks, burns, snake bites or drowning. MEDISEP, which was launched in July 2022, offered a basic insurance cover of ₹3 lakh, at a monthly premium of ₹500. It covers over 30 lakh individuals, including some 5.45 lakh government employees, 5.89 lakh pensioners and their dependents. The scheme, which was envisaged as a comprehensive health insurance cover for a significant section of the population, ran into rough weather despite its high uptake, because of the non-participation of private sector speciality hospitals. The scheme came under much criticism because the package rates for various medical procedures were felt to be 'impractical, non-uniform and unrealistic', making MEDISEP unattractive for the private sector. With the three-year policy period of MEDISEP coming to an end on June 30, 2025, the government had set up a six-member expert committee under Sriram Venkitaraman, Joint Secretary and Officer on Special Duty (Finance Resources) to study the scheme and recommend appropriate revisions. The expert committee has recommended that the HBP 2022 costing be adopted for MEDISEP, with an increase of 1.5 times of Tier One city rates for private hospitals. However, for government hospitals, the HBP 2022 packages will be accepted as such. The committee has also recommended that MEDISEP be extended to employees and pensioners in public sector undertakings, Corporations, autonomous, statutory bodies and the cooperative sector, where the health insurance cover might be poor or inadequate because of the high premiums and poor beneficiary packages offered by private health insurance companies. This is one way the government can keep the premium or costs down, while increasing the overall risk pool. Slashing policy period Another recommendation is that the policy period be made two years instead of the current three years so that any costing/package rates changes that may arise may be accommodated, which will also make the scheme more sustainable and attractive as far as the private health sector is concerned. The committee has recommended that the ceiling on hospital room rent for private hospitals be increased from the current ₹2,000 to ₹5,000. The rates for ICU/ ventilator admissions will be as per the HBP2022 rates. A proper grievance redressal mechanism, with the inclusion of representatives from private hospitals associations and IMA has also been recommended by the committee to deal with issues of claim rejection, delays in claims settlement or complaints regarding package rates. All hospitals with 10 beds or more will be encouraged to empanel under MEDISEP. The recommendations will be presented before the Cabinet soon for approval.
NDTV
07-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Road Accident Victims To Get Cashless Treatment Up To Rs 1.5 Lakh
The government has notified a cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims nationwide, under which they will be entitled to a maximum amount of Rs 1.5 lakh per accident per person. According to a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the scheme has come into force with effect from May 5, 2025. "Any person being a victim of a road accident arising out of the use of a motor vehicle, occurring on any road, shall be entitled to cashless treatment in accordance with the provisions of this scheme," the notification said. Also Read: The National Health Authority (NHA) shall be the implementing agency for the programme, in coordination with police, hospitals and State Health Agencies etc. "The victim shall be entitled to cashless treatment at any designated hospital for an amount up to one lakh fifty thousand rupees per victim for a maximum period of seven days from the date of such accident," it added. According to the notification, the treatment under this scheme (Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025) at a hospital other than a designated hospital shall be for stabilisation purposes only and shall be as specified by the guidelines. As per the notification, the State Road Safety Council shall be the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme for that state or Union Territory and would be responsible for coordinating with the National Health Authority for adoption and utilisation of the portal for onboarding of designated hospitals, treatment of victims, payment to the designated hospital on treatment and related matters. The notification also said that the central government will constitute a steering committee to monitor the implementation of the scheme. On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) launched a pilot programme to provide cashless treatment to road accident victims. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
