India Expands Health Coverage for All Seniors Over 70

As part of the country’s goal to achieve universal access to healthcare, India expanded health coverage through a significant amendment to its flagship health insurance program, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), to cover all citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income or social status. This move, approved by the Union Cabinet, aims to provide comprehensive health coverage to approximately six crore (60 million) senior citizens across the country.

For those already covered under AB PM-JAY, this will be an additional top-up cover of ₹5 lakh (US$6,000) per family per year that doesn’t need to be shared with family members under 70. This initiative represents a significant step towards universal health coverage in India and reduces the financial burden on families dealing with medical expenses for elderly members.

AB PM-JAY, launched in 2018, is one of the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance schemes. It initially aimed to provide health coverage of ₹5 lakh (US$6,000) per family per year to the poorest 40% of India’s population for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. Since its inception, the program has already facilitated over 7.37 crore hospital admissions.

You can read more about India’s expanding health coverage for the elderly on The Times of India or Policy Circle websites.

 

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