News Brief
Budget 2024: Modi Government Eyes Doubling Ayushman Bharat Cover To Rs 10 Lakh, Targets 100 Crore Beneficiaries
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme. (File Photo).
The Union government is considering a proposal to double the insurance cover under the Ayushman Bharat health scheme from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per family per year.
The move aims to ensure comprehensive coverage for serious illnesses such as transplants and high-cost cancer treatments.
As per reports by Economic Times, the announcement of this proposal is anticipated in the upcoming interim Union Budget scheduled for 1 February.
In addition to expanding coverage, the Union Health Ministry is planning to double the beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) from the current 50 crore to 100 crore individuals.
The expanded beneficiary base is expected to include recipients of Kisan Samman Nidhi, construction workers, non-coal mine workers, and ASHA workers over the next three years.
As per reports, the proposal to increase the insurance cover to Rs 10 lakh per family per year and the extension of the beneficiary base to 100 crore individuals would necessitate an additional annual allocation of Rs 12,076 crore.
The Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, launched in 2018, has proven successful with providing health coverage for 6.2 crore hospital admissions, with an expenditure exceeding Rs 79,157 crore.
The scheme offers health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to 12 crore beneficiary families.
Also, the budget allocated for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY for the financial year 2023-24 is Rs 7,200 crore.
However, this allocation is expected to more than double to around Rs 15,000 crore in the financial year 2025 to accommodate the proposed enhancements.
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