Delhi joins Ayushman Bharat scheme, 3.6 million people to benefit

Delhi government to initiate card distribution from April 10

The Delhi government on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) to implement the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhma Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the national capital. 

 

“With around 3 million people belonging to over 650,000 families and an estimated 600,000 senior citizens, about 3.6 million people in Delhi will be benefitted by the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY scheme,” Union Health Minister JP Nadda said, adding the state will run the PMJAY in trust model.

 

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the Delhi government will cover 235,000 families in the first phase, with card distribution set to start from April 10.  

 

The scheme will include 1,961 treatment packages across 27 specialities in over 30,000 empanelled hospitals in India. 

 

Gupta added that the Delhi government has set a Rs 2,144 cr fund for implementation for PMJAY in its state budget. 

 

“We will also be adding 400 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Delhi,” she said. 

 

The move makes Delhi the 35th state or union territory to join Centre’s health insurance scheme, with only West Bengal not having come on board the PMJAY. 

 

Under PMJAY, beneficiaries in Delhi will be eligible for an annual health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family. 

 

The Delhi government will provide an additional Rs 5 lakh cover to eligible families, taking the annual insurance to Rs 10 lakh. 

 

The financing mix will remain in the existing sharing ratio of 60:40, as is there for states and union territories (UT) with legislature.

 

Implementation of the converged scheme will be looked after by the NHA and Delhi’s State Health Agency.

 

While the NHA’s remit includes providing operational guidelines, technical support and facilitating capacity building, the state agency’s work will revolve around card printing, distribution and empanelment of healthcare providers and hospitals.

 

The PMJAY, launched in 2018, aims to provide health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to around 550 million individuals, corresponding to 123.4 million families.

 

Whether households are covered or not depends on the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas, respectively.

 

The Delhi government is soon expected to sign another MoU with the Centre for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM ABHIM). 

 

“Around Rs 2,400 crore is expected to be sanctioned to improve health infrastructure in Delhi under PM-ABHIM,” an official said.