Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)
Target Beneficiaries
Over 12 crore poor and vulnerable families (roughly 55+ crore citizens), including all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of socio-economic status.
Benefits Offered
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the world’s largest government-funded health assurance scheme, designed to prevent catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses.
₹5 Lakh Annual Health Cover: Provides up to ₹5,000,000 per family per year on a family floater basis for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
- Cashless and Paperless Services: Beneficiaries can walk into any empanelled public or private hospital nationwide and receive cashless treatment.
- No Cap on Family Size or Age: All family members are covered under a single card, without restrictions on age or family size.
- Pre-existing Disease Coverage: Covers all pre-existing medical conditions from Day 1 of enrollment.
- Comprehensive Medical Packages: Covers 1,900+ medical and surgical procedures across 24 specialties, including oncology, cardiology, neurosurgery, and orthopedics.
- Pre & Post-Hospitalization Care: Includes diagnostic tests, medications, and consultations up to 3 days prior to hospitalization and 15 days post-discharge.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility for PM-JAY is determined primarily by the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC-2011) deprivation indicators.
1. Rural Beneficiaries
Families living under severe deprivation, such as:
Households living in temporary (kucha) single-room dwellings.
Families with no adult earning members between ages 16 and 59.
Female-headed households with no adult male member.
Households with disabled members and no able-bodied adult.
Landless casual laborers, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and destitute/beggar families.
2. Urban Beneficiaries
Occupational categories of informal sector workers, including:
Domestic workers, street vendors, and ragpickers.
Construction workers, plumbers, masons, painters, and security guards.
Transport workers (drivers, conductors, rickshaw pullers).
Sanitation workers, sweepers, and home-based artisans/tailors.
3. Universal Senior Citizen Coverage (70+ Years)
All individuals aged 70 years and above, regardless of family income or economic status, receive a dedicated ₹5 lakh top-up health card.
Ineligibility: Govt employees, income taxpayers, households owning motorized vehicles (cars, motorboats), or those with a Kisan Credit Card (KCC) limit above ₹50,000 are excluded.
Step-by-Step Registration & Application
Check Eligibility: Visit beneficiary.nha.gov.in or open the Ayushman App.
Log In: Select the Beneficiary portal, enter your registered mobile number, and log in via OTP.
Search Records: Enter your State, District, and select your search parameter (Aadhaar Number, Ration Card/Family ID, or Name).
Complete e-KYC: Once your name appears on the family list, click Action / e-KYC. Authenticate via Aadhaar OTP, Fingerprint, or Face RD scan.
Download Card: After authentication approval, download your digital Ayushman Card (PM-JAY e-card).