Record savings on medical expenses under Ayushman Bharat: PM Modi
Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) completed eight years since its launch, with official figures showing that over 60 crore beneficiaries now have access to Rs 5 lakh annual health cover
The scheme has enabled cumulative savings of more than Rs 2 lakh crore in healthcare expenses for enrolled families since inception, according to official data released on the occasion
As of 31 August, AB-PMJAY had funded over 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth approximately Rs 2.03 lakh crore, through a network of more than 38,000 empanelled public and private hospitals
Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the scheme's primary healthcare component, have recorded over 500 crore cumulative patient visits
AB-PMJAY Architecture and Eligibility
AB-PMJAY was launched on 23 September 2018 in Ranchi and is implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation on a cashless and paperless basis.
Key Details
- Beneficiaries are identified using the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 for rural and urban households respectively, not income certificates
- The scheme originally targeted the bottom 40% of India's population — roughly 12 crore vulnerable families (around 55 crore individuals) — with no cap on family size, age or gender
- Funding follows a Centrally Sponsored Scheme pattern: 60:40 cost-sharing between Centre and States for most states, 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan states, and 100% Central funding for Union Territories without a legislature
The "60 crore beneficiaries" and "Rs 5 lakh cover" figures trace directly to this eligibility and coverage architecture, with enrolment having grown beyond the scheme's original SECC 2011-based target base over eight years.
Ayushman Bharat's Two Pillars: Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and PM-JAY
Ayushman Bharat, launched in 2018, rests on two complementary components: Health and Wellness Centres for comprehensive primary care, and PM-JAY for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation cover.
Key Details
- Health and Wellness Centres — upgraded sub-centres and Primary Health Centres offering an expanded range of services including screening for non-communicable diseases — were renamed "Ayushman Arogya Mandir" in November 2023, with the tagline "Arogyam Paramam Dhanam" ("health is the supreme wealth")
- The renaming exercise, directed by the Union Health Ministry, covered facilities nationwide and was accompanied by a push toward AYUSH-integrated holistic care
- Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are distinct from PM-JAY empanelled hospitals: the former deliver primary care, the latter deliver insured hospitalisation
The reported "500 crore visits" figure for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs reflects the primary-care pillar of Ayushman Bharat, distinct from and complementary to the hospitalisation-focused PM-JAY statistics cited in the same report.
Right to Health Under Article 21
India does not have a standalone constitutional Fundamental Right to health, but the Supreme Court has read a right to emergency and adequate medical care into the Right to Life under Article 21.
Key Details
- In Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal (1996), the Supreme Court held that Article 21 obligates the State to provide timely medical care, particularly in emergencies, and that this obligation exists regardless of financial constraints on the State
- Article 47 (a Directive Principle of State Policy) directs the State to regard the raising of nutrition levels, standard of living, and public health as among its primary duties
- Government-funded health assurance schemes operationalise this Article 21–Article 47 linkage by reducing catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenditure
AB-PMJAY's savings and coverage data are cited as evidence of the State discharging its Article 21/Article 47 obligation to reduce financial barriers to healthcare access.
PM-JAY and Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
PM-JAY is described as the world's largest government-funded health assurance scheme by number of beneficiaries, positioned as India's primary vehicle toward Universal Health Coverage.
Key Details
- UHC is targeted under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.8, which calls for access to essential health services without financial hardship
- The National Health Policy, 2017 set a target of raising public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP, partly to support schemes like PM-JAY
- PM-JAY is cashless and paperless at the point of care, distinguishing it from conventional health insurance requiring upfront payment and reimbursement
The eight-year coverage and savings milestones are presented as progress markers toward India's SDG 3.8/National Health Policy UHC commitments.
- AB-PMJAY beneficiaries with active coverage: over 60 crore
- Annual health cover: Rs 5 lakh per family
- Cumulative healthcare savings since inception: more than Rs 2 lakh crore
- Hospital admissions funded (as of 31 August): over 13.25 crore, worth approximately Rs 2.03 lakh crore
- Empanelled hospitals: more than 38,000 (public and private)
- Ayushman Arogya Mandir cumulative visits: over 500 crore
- Scheme launch date: 23 September 2018, Ranchi
- Centre-State funding pattern: 60:40 (most states), 90:10 (NE/Himalayan states), 100% Centre (UTs without legislature)
- Health and Wellness Centres renamed Ayushman Arogya Mandir: November 2023