More than 1.06 lakh claims have been settled under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme, according to Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav. The update was shared in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
The Central Government has broadened the scope of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to extend health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status. Effective from October 29, 2024, the expansion entitles eligible individuals to receive free medical treatment worth up to ₹5 lakh annually, through Ayushman Vay Vandana cards.
A key feature of the scheme is portability, allowing beneficiaries, including those under the Vay Vandana initiative, to access medical services at any of the 31,466 empanelled hospitals across the country. This ensures nationwide access to healthcare services regardless of a person’s place of residence.
Of these empanelled institutions, 14,194 are private hospitals now offering treatment to Ayushman Vay Vandana cardholders. To streamline service delivery and maintain uniform standards, the National Health Authority has issued guidelines under its Hospital Empanelment and Management (HEM) framework.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, informed the Rajya Sabha that 4,361 thalassemia patients have been registered on the national Sickle Cell Portal as of July 2025. Among them, 2,579 patients are under the age of 12. A dedicated thalassemia module, introduced in 2023, allows for the entry of patient data by states and facilitates ongoing monitoring and follow-up.
While state and Union Territory governments bear primary responsibility for thalassemia management, the National Health Mission provides supplementary support based on proposals submitted through Programme Implementation Plans. This includes assistance for infrastructure such as blood banks, access to medicines, lab services, day care centres, and training for healthcare personnel.
The Ministry of Health is also running the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY) in collaboration with Coal India Limited. The scheme provides financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh for bone marrow transplants in eligible cases. Currently, 17 hospitals have been empanelled to carry out these procedures, funded through the CSR resources of Coal India.
