Ayushman Bharat PMJAY for senior citizens aged 70+: Checklist of documents mandatory for eligibility | Mint
Source: Live Mint
The Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme has been extended to senior citizens aged 70 and above, offering free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakhs per family annually. Launched last week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the scheme is open to all seniors irrespective of their economic status.
This initiative is expected to benefit approximately six crore senior citizens from 4.5 crore families, providing financial relief and access to healthcare. For families with multiple senior members, the ₹5 lakh insurance coverage will be shared among them as the scheme offers coverage on a family basis.
Key Details About the Scheme
Eligibility:
Individuals aged 70 and above are eligible, regardless of their income. Eligibility will be determined based on the age recorded on their Aadhaar card.
Aadhaar-based e-KYC is mandatory for enrolment. Without Aadhaar, senior citizens cannot register or obtain the Ayushman card.
All eligible seniors will receive a distinct Ayushman card to access the scheme’s benefits.
Treatment can be availed immediately after enrolment without any waiting period for diseases or treatments.
After enrolling one eligible family member, others aged 70 or above can be added using the “Add Member” feature on the enrolment portal.
How to apply?
Applications can be made online via www.beneficiary.nha.gov.in or the Ayushman app, which is available on the Google Play Store.
The scheme is set to enhance access to quality healthcare for the elderly, ensuring financial support for families dealing with medical expenses. For a full list of empanelled hospitals under the scheme, visit the National Health Authority’s official website.
Why is this scheme significant?
Making health cover universal over the age of 70 is very significant as India’s population ages. At the time of the 2011 census, only 8.6 per cent of India’s population was over the age of 60 years. This is expected to increase to 19.5 per cent by 2050, according to the government’s Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI). In terms of numbers, Indians over the age of 60 are likely to be 319 million in 2050 — up more than three times from the 103 million in 2011.
