Centre expands Ayushman Bharat coverage to all citizens aged 70 and above
The central government has expanded the coverage of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to include all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their socio-economic status. The extension, which came into effect on October 29, 2024, entitles beneficiaries to receive annual treatment benefits of up to ₹5 lakh through Ayushman Vay Vandana cards.
The scheme includes a portability feature that enables beneficiaries, including those enrolled under the Vay Vandana initiative, to access healthcare services at any of the 31,466 hospitals empanelled under AB-PMJAY across the country. This provision allows individuals to seek treatment irrespective of their place of residence.
Under the expanded coverage, 14,194 private hospitals are part of the network offering services to Ayushman Vay Vandana cardholders. The National Health Authority (NHA) has issued guidelines on Hospital Empanelment and Management (HEM) to ensure standardised service delivery under the scheme.
Since its implementation, over 1.06 lakh claims have been settled under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme. The information was provided by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
As of July 2025, 4,361 thalassemia patients have been registered on the national Sickle Cell Portal, of whom 2,579 are under the age of 12. A dedicated thalassemia module was added to the portal in 2023 to facilitate state-level entry of patient data. Monitoring and follow-up activities are being conducted through the portal to support care and surveillance.
While the primary responsibility for managing thalassemia lies with State and Union Territory governments, the National Health Mission extends support based on proposals in their Programme Implementation Plans. Assistance includes infrastructure and service support such as blood banks, medicines, laboratory services, day care centres, and training of healthcare workers.
The Ministry of Health, in partnership with Coal India Limited, is also implementing the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY), which provides financial support of up to ₹10 lakh for bone marrow transplants. The procedure is available in 17 empanelled hospitals, funded through Corporate Social Responsibility resources of Coal India.
The details were provided by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
