Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the flagship health assurance scheme of the Government of India has marked 1 crore treatments, worth approx. Rs. 13,412 Crore crossing this milestone in less than 20 months since its launch on 23rd September 2018.

More than 21,565 hospitals have been empanelled. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Rajasthan have emerged as the top performing states providing highest number of treatments under the scheme. Orthopaedics, Cardiology, Cardio-thoracic & Vascular surgery, Radiation Oncology and Urology have remained as the top specialties under which treatment is sought.

Treatment packages like single stent (medicated, inclusive of diagnostic angiogram), hip fracture internal fixation and rehabilitation, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), double stent (medicated, inclusive of diagnostic angiogram) and Total Knee Replacement have emerged as top tertiary procedures.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare said, “This is a milestone achievement for Ayushman Bharat PMJAY scheme on providing 1 crore treatments to patients from the country’s poorest households since its launch less than two years ago. These treatments worth Rs 13,412 crore have been provided through a growing network of 21,565 public and private empanelled hospitals.”

Dr. Harsh Vardhan added, “I convey my best wishes and gratitude to all the States who have ensured the scheme delivers on its promise especially in unprecedented times of Covid-19. Government of India is making persistent efforts to expand testing and make treatment of Covid-19 available for free to all 53 crore beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, further strengthening Government of India’s resolve, scope and capability to move towards universal health coverage. Concerted efforts by every health worker and all empanelled hospitals have helped us achieve the 1 crore mark.”

The National Health Authority (NHA) has been working on new initiatives to support and supplement the Government of India efforts in response to Covid-19 pandemic. The NHA has focused on how to get private sector more actively involved in the response with greater participation from private sector hospitals for both COVID-19 as well as non-COVID-19 health conditions.

Responding to the outbreak of Covid-19, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has made the testing and treatment for COVID-19 free of cost under AB PMJAY scheme for all its 53 crore beneficiaries. To increase the number of hospitals providing Covid-19 treatment and to ensure continued treatment such as haemodialysis, cardiovascular procedures, and chemotherapy for non-Covid critical illnesses, the National Health Authority (NHA) started an express empanelment mechanism with a less stringent criteria for temporary empanelment of hospitals in March this year. Among the 21,565 hospitals empanelled under AB PM-JAY, more than 1,385 hospitals have been empanelled across the country since 1 April 2020, out of which 1,310 are through the regular empanelment route and remaining 75 under express empanelment. Of the total new hospitals onboarded, nearly 58% per cent are private hospitals.

2,132 people have availed or are currently undergoing treatment for Covid-19 under AB PM-JAY in the country.

Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and National Health Authority said, “We are marking this milestone of 1 crore treatment under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY at a time when the whole country is reeling under the Covid pandemic. We have utilised this period to leverage our IT systems, expertise and network of private sector stakeholders to support the Government of India’s preparedness and response in the form of managing the national Covid helpline 1075 to conducting thousands of outbound calls to Covid positive patients and their families. We have also further strengthened our network of hospitals and service capabilities to ensure continued service delivery to non-Covid patients under the scheme. We are deeply grateful to the frontline health workers, hospitals, and all staff at NHA and in the States for their invaluable contribution in the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and maintaining the momentum during this crisis.”

The NHA is also supporting the Government of India’s Arogya Setu mobile application dedicated to providing citizens information on Covid-19 and to help them take necessary steps to protect themselves.