Senior citizens aged 70 and above to be enrolled in Ayushman Bharat scheme, PM Modi to give go ahead soon: Report

Last month, the government approved health coverage for all senior citizens of 70 years and above under AB-PMJAY.

The enrolment of senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income, under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is set to commence next week, according to a Times of India report.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to give the green light on Tuesday, October 29, alongside launching other significant health initiatives, including the UWIN app. This government-developed platform aims to document every vaccination event for pregnant women and children under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

Last month, the government approved health coverage for all senior citizens in this age group under AB-PMJAY. Sources indicate that pilot projects have been conducted across various regions in India to evaluate the scheme's readiness. Senior citizens will receive coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per year on a family basis, with the UWIN app facilitating appointment scheduling.

This initiative seeks to offer essential support to senior citizens by meeting their healthcare needs through the largest publicly funded health assurance scheme in the world.

Currently, covering 550 million individuals across 123.4 million families, the scheme will now add an extra layer of protection specifically for senior citizens.

The expansion of the beneficiary base follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the initiative in April 2024. Previously, in January 2022, the government had expanded the AB PM-JAY scheme to cover 123.4 million families, reflecting India’s population growth.