Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) — Benefits, Eligibility & How to Apply (2026)

Overview

Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is the world's largest government-funded health-insurance scheme. It provides cashless and paperless hospitalisation up to ₹5 lakh per family per year at over 27,000 empanelled public and private hospitals. The Budget 2024–25 announcement extended coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income, under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme.

Launched: 2018 For: Poor & vulnerable families (per SECC/AB-PMJAY list)

Key Benefits

• ₹5 lakh/family/year cover for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation — 1,949+ procedures.
• Cashless at 27,000+ hospitals (public + private).
• Pre-hospitalisation (3 days) and post-hospitalisation (15 days) expenses covered.
• No restriction on family size, age or gender for eligible SECC-listed families.
• Senior citizens 70+ covered universally under Vay Vandana from 2024.
• 100% funded by Central + State governments (60:40 share in most states).

Eligibility

• Families listed under SECC 2011 deprivation criteria (rural) and 11 occupational categories (urban).
• All senior citizens aged 70+ (regardless of SECC status) — from 2024.
• Eligibility can be checked on beneficiary.nha.gov.in or by calling 14555.

Documents Required

• Aadhaar (mandatory for e-KYC)
• Ration card / family ID (if used for verification)
• Mobile number for OTP
• Any one address proof
• Senior citizens: Aadhaar showing age 70+

How to Apply — Step by Step

1. Check eligibility at beneficiary.nha.gov.in — enter mobile + OTP + state.
2. If listed, download Ayushman Card via the portal or the Ayushman Bharat App.
3. For senior citizens: self-register under Vay Vandana using Aadhaar.
4. At the empanelled hospital, show your Ayushman Card — the hospital’s Arogya Mitra will handle admission, treatment and billing cashlessly.
5. No premium is ever charged to the beneficiary.

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