On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a significant expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to include all citizens aged 70 and above. This move will provide health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year to seniors, regardless of their financial status.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, during a briefing on the Cabinet’s decisions, highlighted that this extension of benefits is a major step in ensuring comprehensive health coverage for the elderly. Previously, the Ayushman Bharat scheme was designed to assist those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, based on the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC). The scheme originally provided up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for cashless hospitalization for secondary and tertiary care.
Vaishnaw emphasized that this decision reflects a humanitarian approach and fulfills a commitment made by the Prime Minister. The new policy is expected to impact around 4.5 crore families, equating to approximately 6 crore senior citizens, based on government estimates. Currently, the scheme covers 12.3 crore families.
For families already covered by the scheme with senior members, there will be an additional top-up coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year specifically for these elderly beneficiaries. For those families not previously covered due to their socioeconomic status, they will now receive a shared coverage of ₹5 lakh per year for senior citizens.
“The additional top-up coverage of up to ₹5 lakh will be specifically allocated for senior citizens within the families already covered by the scheme. This shared cover will be distributed among the senior members,” Vaishnaw explained.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated his government’s commitment to providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare for every Indian. He stated, “We are committed to ensuring accessible, affordable, and top-quality healthcare for every Indian. Today’s decision to expand the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme to include all citizens over 70 years old is a testament to that commitment.” Modi added that this scheme would bring dignity, care, and security to 60 million citizens.
Vaishnaw also noted that this expansion is timely given the increasing trend of families shifting from joint to nuclear structures. “This decision is highly relevant in today’s context, providing much-needed health coverage and social security to our senior citizens,” he said.
The implementation of these changes will begin soon. Seniors will need to apply to benefit from the new provisions. Those already covered under other health insurance schemes, whether central or state-based, such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) or defense schemes, will have the option to either remain with their current scheme or switch to Ayushman Bharat.
Vaishnaw clarified that seniors with private insurance will also be eligible to join the Ayushman Bharat scheme if they choose. Eligible beneficiaries will receive a new, distinct card under the upgraded scheme. The initial investment for this expansion is ₹3,437 crore, with provisions for future increases in coverage as needed.
