Ayushman card is one of the government’s health card which is given for treatment in case of illness of people below the poverty line. What is the benefit of this card? Who is eligible? Read more about how to get it.
India’s healthcare sector has come a long way from having no equipment for treatment to developing our high-tech equipment and medicines. But with such development, the cost of treatment methods is also growing. This is one of the main reasons why the economically weaker sections of the society cannot afford medical treatment when required.
Government hospitals exist to provide them with the necessary treatment. But operational malfunctions such as inadequate staff, equipment and medicines leave people’s lives hanging.
To address all such issues and ensure that everyone gets treatment when needed, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
About PM-JAY
Recently, two major reforms have been introduced under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Those two updates are:
Those above 70 years of age can apply for the government scheme through Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card. The expanded criteria will help many senior citizens get medical assistance when needed.
More than 10 lakh senior citizens are registered under this scheme and around 9 lakh rupees have been invested for their treatment.
The government has released Rs 184 crore as the first installment of premium for implementing PMJAY and Sehat schemes in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
What is Ayushman Card?
Ayushman Card is an integral part of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), one of the largest government funded health schemes in the world.
Launched in September 2018, the scheme aims to provide affordable healthcare services to economically weaker sections of the society, covering millions of Indian citizens under its health insurance scheme.
PMJAY beneficiaries can avail cashless treatment services up to Rs 5 lakh per annum at empaneled hospitals across India. Ayushman Card also known as PM-JAY Card acts as a proof of eligibility and enables beneficiaries to avail the benefits of the scheme.
India recently launched Ayushman identity cards to help the beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Called Ayushman Card, it aims to create a comprehensive digital health infrastructure. The government scheme benefits Indian citizens by providing access to public hospitals and schemes. This government health insurance plan covers most of the medical expenses, medicines and diagnostic expenses. Extends free medical services up to 5 lakhs per annum.
About 55 crore people in India have benefited from the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The Ayushman Card ensures that citizens who cannot afford expensive healthcare can get quality treatment without the burden of financial constraints.
This card covers various medical expenses including hospitalization expenses, diagnostic tests, pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization care.
Successful case stories of people
Countless people have benefited from this scheme so far. Below are some case stories of people to show how this project is saving precious lives.
- Heart surgery A 60-year-old woman from a village in Jharkhand was suffering from a heart problem and needed an emergency heart surgery to save her life. With the help of the PM-JAY scheme, he was able to get treatment at a private hospital without any problem and is now on the road to full recovery.
- Cancer treatment A laborer in Bihar state has been diagnosed with oral cancer. He is the sole supporter of his family. He applied for PM-JAY and was later able to get chemotherapy and surgery completely free.
Key Features of Ayushman Card
Listed below are some of the key features that make Ayushman Card so impressive, unique and essential. Let’s learn about it one by one.
A personalized 14-digit health ID
Each person has a unique 14-digit number that serves as their digital health identifier.
Digital health record storage
Health records are easily shared with doctors and hospitals thanks to online access and storage.
Interoperability
Enables seamless data exchange between different healthcare providers, ensuring continuous patient care.
Privacy and security
Individuals control the sharing of their data, and health care providers can access it only with their permission.
Objectives of Ayushman Card
There are some important objectives of Ayushman Card. Some of its main objectives are briefly listed below:
- Financial scope Under this scheme, each family registered under this scheme will be provided health coverage of Rs.5 lakh.
- Priority The scheme gives priority to girls, women and senior citizens above 60 years of age.
- Cashless treatment This scheme allows people to go for treatment without needing to pay upfront.
- Pre-existing diseases The scheme also covers persons with pre-existing diseases or ailments and allows them to be admitted.
How does Ayushman card work?
Ayushman Card is used to avail benefits under the government health scheme, Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Here’s how the PM-JAY card works to ensure health insurance coverage benefits for low-income citizens.
Ayushman Card acts as a health identity card for citizens. This includes diagnoses, treatments, hospitalizations, laboratory reports and prescriptions.
These cards digitize health records through a unique 14-digit identification number.
They enable citizens to share their health data with doctors and healthcare providers.
Records reflect details of medical examinations and previous prescriptions. Details can be obtained through official website or mobile application using ID.
Benefits of Ayushman Card
Ayushman Bharat Yojana is an important government health scheme that benefits about 40 percent of Indian citizens by providing health insurance to the needy sections of the nation.
Since 2018, more than 2.2 crore people have received treatment worth Rs 30,000 crore through Ayushman cards. Below are some of the key benefits of PM-JAY Card for Ayushman Bharat Yojana beneficiaries.
The card provides immense convenience by eliminating unnecessary, repetitive medical tests. It makes people’s lives as convenient and simple as possible.
Eligibility Criteria for Ayushman Card
To be eligible to avail the benefits of PM-JAY Card, there is a set of eligibility criteria that individuals have to fulfill. Eligibility criteria are as follows:
Ayushman Card Eligibility for Rural Families:
Households living in rural areas fulfilling the conditions mentioned below are eligible to avail the benefits of PM-JAY Card. Those conditions are listed below:
- All the members live under one roof with kucha walls or roof.
- There are no adult members between the ages of 16-59.
- There are no adult male members between the ages of 16-59.
- No physically able adult members or at least one disabled adult member
- Get most of the household income as manual labour.
- SC/ST families
Ayushman Card Eligibility for Urban Families:
For urban families, to avail the benefits of PM-JAY card, the following eligibility criteria should be fulfilled.
- Certain categories like road accident victims, domestic workers and homeless citizens.
- Families receiving food ration under public distribution system.
- Registered construction workers
- Hawkers / Cobblers / Other Hawker Suppliers.
- Beggars/ rag pickers/ sanitation workers/ home based workers/ artisans/ tailors/ handicraft workers/ washermen/ other similar roles.
- Electrician/ Chowkidar/ Mechanic/ Repair Workers/ Rickshaw Pullers/ Transport Workers/ Waiter/ Jawan/ Shop Worker/ Delivery Man.
Who is not eligible for Ayushman Card benefits?
Here is the list of persons who are not eligible for benefits under Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Those who cannot avail the benefits of the scheme are as follows:
- Government employees
- Individuals with income above Rs.10,000 per month.
- Persons with Kisan Card
- Persons owning vehicles like two-wheeler or three-wheeler or car.
- Persons owning agricultural machinery
- Persons owning more than 5 acres of land
- Persons owning mechanized fishing boats
- Individuals who have refrigerators in their homes
- Individuals with land line phones
How to Apply Online for Ayushman Card?
Registering for PM JAY scheme is a simple process. Read the following steps to apply online for Ayushman Card.
Visit official National Health Authority website https://beneficiary.nha.gov.in/.
If you are already a beneficiary, sign in using your registered mobile number. If you are a new user, you can log in using your registered mobile number to check if you are a beneficiary.
Submit captcha, mobile number and OTP and check if you are included in PM-JAY list.
Now download and open the Ayushman app (download here) or visit the official PM JAY website.
Now download and open the Ayushman app (download here) or visit the official PM JAY website.
You can find ‘Am I Eligible’ option to check whether you are eligible to be included in the beneficiary list of PM-JAY scheme.
Then, log in using your mobile number and enter the requested details including your name, state, ration card number, house number and mobile number.
If your family is covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme, it will be confirmed.
Documents required
Documents required to apply for PM-JAY card, without which the applicant will not be able to apply for the scheme. Following is the list of those required documents:
Age Proof (Birth Certificate)
Proof of Identity (PAN Card, Aadhaar Card)
Income certificate
Caste certificate
Proof of Family Status (Aadhaar Cards of all family members)
Cost of treatment under Ayushman card
Ayushman Bharat Yojana provides completely free treatment to its beneficiaries. This is one of its most attractive features as it provides Rs 5 lakh insurance cover for families. It covers the secondary and tertiary medical expenses of the patients. People can go to registered hospitals for treatment with Ayushman card.