The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the extension of health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their income.
This move is set to benefit approximately 4.5 crore families, covering six crore senior citizens with a free health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per year on a family basis.
Eligible senior citizens will be issued a distinct card under the AB PM-JAY scheme to ensure they can access and receive their entitled benefits. Those already covered by AB PM-JAY will receive an additional top-up of Rs. 5 lakh annually for themselves, separate from their family’s existing cover. Senior citizens not previously enrolled under the scheme will receive a family-based cover of Rs. 5 lakh annually.
The government also clarified that senior citizens covered under other public health insurance schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), and Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) can either retain their existing coverage or opt for AB PM-JAY. Senior citizens under private health insurance or the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme are also eligible for AB PM-JAY benefits.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, providing Rs. 5 lakh annual coverage per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalizations to 55 crore individuals across 12.34 crore families. Since its inception, the scheme has facilitated over 7.37 crore hospital admissions, with nearly half of the beneficiaries being women. The total benefits provided under the scheme have exceeded ₹1 lakh crore.
The expanded coverage for senior citizens was first announced by Prime Minister Modi in April 2024.
Initially, the scheme covered 10.74 crore vulnerable families, or 40% of India’s population. In January 2022, this base was expanded to 12 crore families to account for India’s population growth. The scheme was further extended to provide free healthcare to 37 lakh ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers, and Helpers (AWWs/AWHs) across the country.
