PM Modi's Ayushman Bharat scheme still in the making two days before launch

With just two days to go for the Sunday launch, there seem to be many loose ends which need to be attended to

The government has advanced the launch of Ayushman Bharat, renamed Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan (PMJAY), by two days as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have a packed day on September 25 — the scheduled roll-out date. With just two days to go for the Sunday launch, there seem to be many loose ends that need to be tied up. The PM will travel to Jharkhand to inaugurate what is being seen as the biggest health care scheme.  

Sources indicated that the standard operating procedures required for treatment under the scheme were yet to be put in place. In fact, the NITI Aayog will now help the Union health ministry set up the procedures. This could take a few more months. A senior official said, “Till then, doctors will treat patients in the manner they deem fit. Some southern states already have treatment protocols and we are trying to work around those to bring national-level protocols for the scheme.”

There’s another bottleneck. In the north-eastern parts of the country, for instance, Aadhaar penetration is minimal. So, the Ayushman Bharat team has been in touch with UIDAI authorities to find a way to ensure that all covered by the scheme have an Aadhaar card. As per the scheme, by the second visit to the hospital, the patient has to be ready with an Aadhaar number for verification. Also, the tally of hospitals empanelled across the country for the scheme stands at around 8,000, lower than the targeted number. The expectation is that as the scheme catches up, more tertiary care hospitals would enroll. In addition, there’s an apprehension that hospitals may not be confident of using the Ayushman portal. For that, training is being arranged. Meanwhile, letters are being sent out to the proposed beneficiaries of the scheme. 

As of now, Telangana, Delhi and Odisha are still not on board for the scheme. But the government is hopeful. 

Telangana may join as early as next week. The Ayushman Bharat scheme—popularly called Modicare— proposes to provide tertiary care cover up to Rs 500,000 per family to the under-privileged as per the socio-economic caste census. While Rs 20 billion has been provided for in the Budget, the Health Ministry has sought more funds for the scheme. Total funds required to run this scheme is estimated at Rs 120 billion. 

The scheme will operate on two models: insurance and trust. Under the insurance model, insurance companies would be empaneled to operate as part of the scheme. 

Under a trust model, a state sets up a trust and allocates sums to it. The money is transferred from the trust to the hospitals directly.

Loopholes remain

• Sources indicate that standard operating procedures required for treatment are yet to be put in place
• The scheme requires the patient’s Aadhaar number for verification and it could be a problem in the northeast where its penetration is minimal
• Telangana, Delhi and Odisha are still not on board. The Centre hopes Telangana joins as early as next week
• The tally of hospitals empanelled for the scheme stands at around 8,000, lower than the target
• Hospital staff will have to be trained to use the Ayushman portal