Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi Launches ₹5 Lakh Benefits Under Ayushman Bharat!

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi Launches ₹5 Lakh Benefits Under Ayushman Bharat! Seniors aged 70+ will receive individual top-up cover, ensuring enhanced healthcare access.

CONTENTS:

• Health coverage expanded for seniors.
• PM Modi launches major health initiatives.
• India expands healthcare for seniors.
• AB PM-JAY expanded for seniors 70+.

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi Launches ₹5 Lakh Benefits Under Ayushman Bharat!

Health coverage expanded for seniors

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to introduce health coverage for all citizens aged 70 and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on Tuesday, October 29, as reported by news agency PTI. Those holding an Ayushman card will be eligible for free treatment up to ₹5 lakh at any empaneled AB PM-JAY hospital starting October 29. The Prime Minister will also launch several other projects on the same day, including the U-WIN portal, modeled after India’s COVID-19 vaccine management system Co-WIN, which will maintain a permanent digital record of vaccinations for children from birth to 17 years old, as well as for pregnant women.

Under this initiative, all citizens aged 70 and above, verified by their Aadhaar card regardless of income, will qualify for health coverage under AB PM-JAY. The scheme is expected to benefit approximately six crore citizens across around 4.5 crore households. To access the health coverage, individuals must register on the PMJAY portal or through the Ayushman app. Those with existing Ayushman cards will need to reapply on the portal or app and complete their eKYC for a new card.

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi  The scheme is currently being implemented in 33 states and Union territories, excluding Delhi, Odisha, and West Bengal. Senior citizens aged 70 and above from families already enrolled in AB PM-JAY will receive an additional top-up cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year for their own use, which will not be shared with younger family members. Since its inception, the PM-JAY scheme has facilitated 7.37 crore hospital admissions, with nearly 49 percent benefiting women. The health ministry reports that the public has gained over ₹1 lakh crore from the scheme.

Additionally, senior citizens with private health insurance or those enrolled in the Employees’ State Insurance scheme can also benefit from this initiative. However, seniors using other public health insurance programs, such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), will need to choose between their current plans or switch to the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

According to the health ministry, the AB PM-JAY scheme currently covers 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, representing the bottom 40 percent of India’s population. As of September 1, 2024, a total of 29,648 hospitals, including 12,696 private institutions, have been empaneled to provide treatment under the PMJAY scheme.

PM Modi launches major health initiatives

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone for several health sector projects valued at approximately ₹12,850 crore on Tuesday. The announcement will take place at the All India Institute of Ayurveda in honor of Dhanvantari Jayanti and the 9th Ayurveda Day. Among the key initiatives is the expansion of health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

Additionally, PM Modi will launch the U-WIN portal, which aims to digitalize the vaccination process for pregnant women and infants, ensuring timely administration of life-saving vaccines against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases for children from birth to 16 years. Another portal will be introduced for allied and healthcare professionals, creating a centralized database of existing healthcare practitioners and institutions.

The Prime Minister will also unveil several initiatives designed to enhance research and development (R&D) and testing infrastructure to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem in India. Notably, a Central Drugs Testing Laboratory will be inaugurated in Gothapatna, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi  The government emphasized that PM Modi is committed to providing quality healthcare services nationwide. In a significant boost to healthcare infrastructure, he will inaugurate and lay the groundwork for numerous healthcare facilities, including the second phase of India’s First All India Institute of Ayurveda, which will feature a Panchakarma hospital, an Ayurvedic pharmacy, a sports medicine unit, a central library, an IT and start-ups incubation center, and a 500-seat auditorium.

Further expansions will occur at AIIMS facilities in Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), Kalyani (West Bengal), Patna (Bihar), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam), and New Delhi, which will include a Jan Aushadhi Kendra.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation for five nursing colleges in Madhya Pradesh, establish 21 Critical Care Blocks across Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and extend facilities and services at AIIMS in New Delhi and Bilaspur.

Moreover, in a bid to enhance healthcare accessibility through technology, PM Modi will introduce drone services at 11 Tertiary Healthcare Institutions. Several Ayush Centres of Excellence will also be launched, focusing on diabetes, sustainable technology solutions, fundamental research in Ayurveda, and systems medicine.

In a significant advancement for the Make in India initiative within the healthcare sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate five projects under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for medical devices and bulk drugs in locations such as Vapi (Gujarat), Hyderabad (Telangana), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), and Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh). These facilities are expected to manufacture high-end medical devices, including body implants and critical care equipment, along with important bulk drugs.

India expands healthcare for seniors

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi  There has been an unprecedented increase in longevity globally. While the U.S. faces challenges related to its growing elderly population, India is taking proactive steps to reform its healthcare system through various initiatives. One significant development is the recent expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to include senior citizens aged 70 and above, which aims to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for the elderly. This initiative will instill confidence in many beneficiaries, providing free healthcare treatment worth ₹5 lakh per family for their elderly members.

Having joined the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in 2010, I have spent over a decade in Geriatric Medicine, a relatively new discipline in India. Geriatrics began at Madras Medical College in 1978 and has gradually been introduced in other medical colleges, including AIIMS. The National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) has enabled many colleges to train doctors in addressing the complex health issues faced by older individuals. Given the increasing demand for elderly care, which is projected to double, this initiative is both timely and necessary.

According to the UN, the current elderly population, estimated at 153 million (those aged 60 and above), is expected to reach 347 million by 2050. This demographic shift carries significant social and economic implications that are concerning. A research paper titled “Medical Spending of the US on Elderly,” published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), found that medical expenses more than double between the ages of 70 and 90.

Several factors contribute to rising medical costs for the elderly, including complex health problems that require expensive, long-term treatments such as rehabilitation and nursing care. Common health issues include falls, frailty, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and social isolation. Moreover, many elderly individuals suffer from multi-morbid conditions like hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and the aftereffects of strokes.

The current super-specialist healthcare model often proves inadequate for managing multi-morbid conditions, as patients may end up consulting multiple specialists and receiving numerous prescriptions, leading to polypharmacy (the use of more than five medications). Conditions such as cardiovascular issues, heart failure, strokes, cancer, and trauma (related to falls and fractures) necessitate costly treatments that highlight the need for affordable, integrated geriatric care.

Many patients travel from distant villages to AIIMS for treatment, hoping to find appropriate care and extend their lives. However, the financial burdens of healthcare often lead to social isolation for these patients due to the ignorance of family members. Delays in treatment can worsen their health conditions, making the expansion of AB PM-JAY a beacon of hope for eligible elderly individuals.

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi  AB PM-JAY, already recognized for its free healthcare benefits to poor and vulnerable families, is set to provide similar security to elderly patients and their families, who may have previously overlooked their health due to costs. The scheme covers many common ailments among the elderly, including the provision of implantation devices like pacemakers, orthopedic devices, and mental health issues. By implementing this initiative, the government demonstrates care and compassion for the elderly, who often face emotional and health-related challenges.

It is also essential for the scheme to consider including vulnerable individuals residing in long-term care facilities, such as old age homes, which are often poorly organized in India. Many of these facilities struggle with inadequate documentation for their residents due to abandonment or other circumstances. Thus, incorporating these long-term care setups into AB PM-JAY is advisable.

From my two decades of experience at AIIMS, I’ve observed a shift in elderly attitudes toward aging. In 2010, many older individuals were pessimistic, but today, even those in their 80s and 90s display a strong desire to live healthy lives. Numerous studies indicate that elderly individuals experience the highest levels of physical disability in their final decades; however, the changing mindset and hospital-seeking behaviors of the elderly are encouraging. This positive transformation will be further bolstered by the insurance coverage provided under AB PM-JAY. The nationwide implementation of this initiative for senior citizens is undoubtedly a commendable step by the government.

AB PM-JAY expanded for seniors 70+

Revolutionary Health Coverage for Seniors: PM Modi  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch an expansion of health coverage for all senior citizens aged 70 and above under the government’s flagship Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on Tuesday. In a post on X, Modi announced, “Tomorrow, on Ayurveda Day at around 12:30 pm, significant healthcare schemes will be launched or have their foundation stones laid.

In a historic moment, Ayushman Bharat will be expanded to provide healthcare for all individuals over 70 years old.” Seniors aged 70 and above from families already covered under AB PM-JAY will receive an additional top-up cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year, which they do not need to share with younger family members. All other seniors in this age group will be eligible for coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year on a family basis, according to officials.