Five years of Ayushman Bharat: A shield for the vulnerable

Source: The post is based on the article “Five years of Ayushman Bharat: A shield for the vulnerable” published in “The Indian express” on 9th August 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.

News: The author discusses India’s healthcare scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This program provides free health coverage to millions, reduces medical costs, and ensures quality care.

What are the important features of AB-PMJAY?

Read – Features of AB-PMJAY

What are the benefits of AB-PMJAY?

Out of pocket expenditure: It supports over 12 crore families, aiming to cover 50% of India’s population. It reduces out-of-pocket expenditure and enhances healthcare accessibility for all. It has saved over Rs 1 lakh crore in treatment costs.

Gender Equality: 48% of treatments under the scheme have been availed by women, promoting equal healthcare access.

Universal Health Coverage: Takes India closer to Sustainable Development Goal 3.8, ensuring quality healthcare regardless of economic status.

Easy Access: Over 27,000 hospitals accept the Ayushman Card for free treatment. Patients can receive care in any state with AB-PMJAY, benefiting migrants.

Fraud Prevention: Uses National Anti-Fraud Unit (NAFU) and state-level units, Aadhaar-based authentication, AI and ML technologies to detect frauds. Over 210 hospitals de-empaneled for violations.

Feedback System: Calls made to patients’ post-treatment to assess service quality.