The Ayushman Bharat scheme, one of the world's largest health insurance programs, is set to include individuals aged 70 and older. This expansion aims to provide comprehensive health coverage for seniors, who will be able to register on the Ayushman Bharat portal starting next week.

Under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), seniors aged 70 and above can now access benefits regardless of their income level. This initiative is expected to cover an additional 2 crore families and 3 crore individuals, addressing the higher healthcare needs of the elderly population. Women will notably benefit from this extension, as over half of the 70+ age group are women, with 54% being widows.

Government sources have indicated that a pilot program will be launched to resolve any issues with the portal, ensuring a smooth implementation. To date, the scheme has helped over 6 crore people, reducing their out-of-pocket expenses by approximately Rs 1 lakh crore.

The decision to include seniors was influenced by their increased likelihood of requiring hospital care and the challenges they face in obtaining private health insurance, which is either unavailable or expensive for this age group.

Private insurance options for elderly individuals are limited and costly. The government plans to introduce more packages specifically catering to geriatric care to address this gap.

Introduced in 2018, Ayushman Bharat provides universal health coverage, particularly focusing on rural and vulnerable populations. It covers a range of health needs from primary to tertiary care levels.

How to Apply: To benefit from the expanded Ayushman Bharat scheme, individuals must register on the official portal. The portal features a face authentication process and a dedicated link for seniors. After completing e-KYC, the card will be immediately operational. Those with existing Ayushman cards will need to re-apply and update their e-KYC information.

Applicants with private insurance or those who are ESIC beneficiaries can also apply for AB PM-JAY. The government plans to launch an awareness campaign to inform the public and engage community-level workers to promote the scheme.

Funding: The central government will continue to fund 60% of the scheme's costs. States have the option to expand the scheme or modify it to include other age groups, with additional funding provided for these beneficiaries. Senior citizens already covered by AB PM-JAY will receive an extra top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per year, which will be exclusive to them and not shared with younger family members.

Seniors already benefiting from other public health schemes, such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), can choose to continue with their current scheme or switch to Ayushman Bharat.

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