All Indian citizens above the age of 70 will now have access to free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme. President of India Draupadi Murmu announced that the establishment of 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country is progressing rapidly. The announcement was made during her address to a joint session of Parliament in New Delhi on 27 June 2024.
Moreover, under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), free health services are currently being provided to 55 million beneficiaries, President Murmu said. She also noted that the establishment of 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country is progressing rapidly. These generic drug stores provide drugs at prices that are sometimes 50-90% lower than the branded versions available in the market.
AB-PMJAY is the largest globally funded health insurance initiative that provides ₹5 lakh per family annually for hospitalization needs beyond primary care. The Hospital Empanelment and Management (HEM) guidelines for AB-PMJAY mandate that the State Health Agencies (SHAs) are responsible for empaneled hospitals under the scheme. This extensive coverage and management system aims to ensure that quality healthcare services are available to a significant portion of the Indian population.
The decision to include citizens aged 70 and over in the system addresses a significant gap in health care coverage for the elderly.
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The study revealed that only 20% of individuals over the age of 60 were covered by health schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme, the Employees State Insurance Scheme, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna, Cooperative Health Insurance Schemes, Employer Reimbursement of Medical Expenses or Privately Purchased Health Insurance. .
President Murmu also highlighted India’s efforts in promoting AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Natural Medicine, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) to contribute to global health. She mentioned that International Yoga Day has recently been celebrated as a global event reflecting the growing prestige of India’s rich heritage around the world.
