Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on September 11, approved health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income, under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
Announcing the decision after the Cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “It has been decided to cover our senior citizens who are more than 70 years old under universal health coverage, Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This is a very big decision. There is great humanitarian thinking in this decision. They will get the facility of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh and this will cover about 4.5 crore families in the country, which will include about 6 crore senior citizens.”
The expansion of cover to senior citizens of the age of 70 and above was earlier announced by PM Modi in April 2024 during the launch of the BJP manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
According to a cabinet communique, all senior citizens, aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, would be eligible to avail the benefits of AB PM-JAY. The eligible senior citizens would be issued a new distinct card under the scheme.
Senior citizens of the age 70 years and above, belonging to families already covered under the scheme, will get an additional top-up cover up to Rs 5 lakh per year for themselves (which they do not have to share with the other members of the family who are below the age of 70 years). All other senior citizens of the age 70 years and above will get a cover up to Rs 5 lakh per year on a family basis.
Those senior citizens of the stipulated age, who are already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or the Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) may either choose to continue their existing scheme or opt for AB PMJAY.
