Written By: Himanshu Kumar

Himanshu Kumar

Term & Life Insurance

Himanshu is a content marketer with 2 years of experience in the life insurance sector. His motto is to make life insurance topics simple and easy to understand yet one level deeper for our readers.

|
Reviewed By: Apeksha Parsai

Apeksha Parsai

Term & Health Insurance

Apeksha has trained young minds about the benefits of health & term insurance throughout her 8+ years career. She designs, develops, and delivers impactful training programs for agents/brokers, and internal teams. Her expertise lies in insurance product knowledge, sales strategies, regulatory compliance, and customer service.

Updated on Jan 19, 2026 8 min read

The Journey of Ayushman Bharat in India

The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is a flagship initiative by the Government of India to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Launched in 2018, it aims to provide quality and affordable healthcare to all citizens, particularly the vulnerable sections of society.

Born from the National Health Policy 2017’s vision, Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest healthcare initiative that covers 50 crore Indians. This ambitious scheme directly aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and their fundamental principle of "leaving no one behind."

Ayushman Bharat marks a significant shift from fragmented healthcare delivery towards a holistic, needs-based system. It introduces transformative interventions to address healthcare comprehensively, encompassing prevention, promotion, and ambulatory care, across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

The scheme embraces a care approach, built upon two interconnected pillars: HWCS and PM-JAY. Let us understand each one in detail.

Health and Wellness Centres (HWCS)

These centres are being established by transforming existing sub-centres and Primary Health Centres to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC). The goal is to create a network of 150,000 HWCS across the country by upgrading infrastructure, human resources, and the range of services offered. These centres focus on:

• Providing an expanded range of services, including maternal and child health, treatment for non-communicable diseases, and elder care.
• Offering free essential drugs and diagnostic services.
• Emphasising health promotion and disease prevention through community engagement and awareness programs.
• Bringing healthcare closer to people’s homes, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)

Also known as Modicare, this is the world’s largest health assurance scheme, providing a health cover of ₹5,00,000 per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. It aims to cover over 120 million poor and vulnerable families, identified based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011). Key features of PM-JAY include:

The Journey So Far

Since its launch in September 2018, Ayushman Bharat has made significant progress in improving healthcare access in India.

Check here for the eligibility criteria of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.

Latest Updates

Apr 10, 2025- Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana was implemented in Delhi, with the first phase kicking off.

Sep 11, 2025-AB PM-JAY was expanded for the senior citizens aged 70 years and above.

Feb 10, 2025- Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission continues to build a digital health ecosystem. 670 million ABHA accounts have been created.

Oct 30, 2024- 420 million health records have been linked to ABHA accounts.

Want to know how to apply for the Ayushman Bharat Scheme?

Ayushman Bharat Enhancements Over the Years

1. Expansion to Delhi:

   • The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is set to be implemented in Delhi, with the first phase kicking off on April 10, 2025.
   • The Delhi government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) for the scheme’s roll-out. Delhi becomes the 35th state/UT to implement AB PM-JAY.
   • In the first phase, 2.60 lakh residents in Delhi have been enlisted as beneficiaries and will receive their Ayushman Health cards over the next 40-42 days.
   • The Delhi government will provide an additional top-up of ₹5 lakh over and above the ₹5 lakh cover provided by the central government, effectively giving beneficiaries in Delhi a total health cover of ₹10 lakh.
   • Around 6.54 lakh families in Delhi are expected to benefit from AB PM-JAY.
   • Distribution of Ayushman cards in Delhi commenced on April 10, 2025.

2. Coverage for Senior Citizens:

   • In a significant expansion approved in September 2024, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above will receive health coverage under AB PM-JAY, irrespective of their income.
   • This expansion aims to benefit approximately 6 crore elderly people from 4.5 crore families.
   • Eligible senior citizens will receive a new, distinct Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card.
   • Senior citizens already within AB PM-JAY-covered families will receive an additional top-up cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year, exclusively for them and separate from the family’s existing cover.
   • Senior citizens benefiting from other public health insurance schemes like CGHS or ECHS can choose to continue with their current scheme or opt for AB PM-JAY.

3. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM):

   • As of February 10, 2025, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission continues to build a digital health ecosystem.
   • Over 670 million Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) have been created.
   • More than 420 million health records have been linked to ABHA accounts as of October 2024.

      

4. Utilisation and Impact:

   • As of September 2024, over 354 million Ayushman cards have been issued across the country.
   • Over 77.9 million hospital admissions have been authorised, with financial coverage exceeding ₹1.07 trillion.
   • Approximately 49% of Ayushman cards have been issued to women, and they account for a significant portion of hospital admissions (36.1 million).
   • 1.19 million hospitalisations worth ₹31 billion have been authorised under the portability feature, allowing beneficiaries to access treatment nationwide.
   • A vast network of 30,529 hospitals has been empanelled, including 17,063 public and 13,466 private facilities.
   • The scheme has led to an estimated 21% reduction in out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure and an 8% decrease in taking emergency loans for health reasons.
   • Over 170 million teleconsultations have been conducted through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
   • Crores of screenings have been performed at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and various cancers.

5. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMS):

   • As of September 2024, over 174,453 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (formerly Health and Wellness Centres) are operational across India.
   • These centres provide Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) services, including care for non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and mental health.
   • They also offer free essential medicines and diagnostic services.

6. Concerns and Challenges:

   • A parliamentary panel has recommended including Outpatient Department (OPD) services and broader post-hospitalisation medication coverage under Ayushman Bharat.
   • Concerns remain about the financial viability of the scheme for corporate hospitals, potentially limiting their participation.
   • Issues such as fraud detection and prevention are being addressed through enhanced monitoring systems like the TMS 2.0 portal with AI capabilities.
   • Ensuring efficient validation processes, improved infrastructure, and regular verification of empanelled hospitals are ongoing areas of focus.

Benefits of Ayushman Bharat Yojana

Since its launch, Ayushman Bharat Yojana has benefited millions of people in India.

• Financial Protection and Reduced Out-of-Pocket Expenditure by giving coverage of Rs 5 Lakh to Rs 10 Lakh.
• Provide comprehensive coverage to the policyholders.
• Provides universal and comprehensive healthcare access.
• Strengthens healthcare infrastructure by establishing 150,000 HWCs.
• Improved quality standards by enlisting public hospitals for better healthcare facilities.
• Increased access to quality care by providing timely and affordable healthcare.
• By providing access to essential medical services, the scheme contributes to reducing illness and death rates, especially among vulnerable populations.
• Creating a digital ecosystem to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of healthcare.

Understand the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in detail.

Challenges and Way Forward

Despite its successes, Ayushman Bharat faces challenges such as varying levels of adoption across states, ensuring financial sustainability, preventing fraudulent activities by hospitals, and effectively reaching all eligible beneficiaries. Continuous efforts are underway to address these challenges through robust implementation strategies, technological integration, and awareness campaigns.

The journey of Ayushman Bharat represents a significant commitment towards ensuring health as a fundamental right for all citizens of India. By strengthening primary healthcare and providing financial protection for serious illnesses, the scheme is playing a crucial role in building a healthier and more equitable nation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ayushman Bharat is a transformative initiative with the potential to significantly improve the health and well-being of millions of Indians by providing financial protection, enhancing access to quality healthcare services, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, and leveraging digital health technologies.

To get more such updates, follow Policyx.com. We provide Only Xpert Advice, No Spam, No Gimmicks.

Consult for Personalized Insurance Advice

But how does it work?

Schedule a call with India’s number 1 trusted advisor with a 4.5+ rating on Google. We are not your average insurance agents. Our advisors are experts in their insurance knowledge and will give you the right information at the right time. The service is free of cost! Don’t worry, we won’t spam as we value your time.

Schedule a 30-minute call now

Health Insurer Network Hospitals