Are Senior Citizens Eligible for the Ayushman Card?

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Access to affordable healthcare becomes increasingly important with age, especially for senior citizens who may require frequent medical attention and long-term treatment. The Government of India has broadened the ambit of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), to foster the health support of elderly people. This step will allow more families, including the elderly, to enjoy financial security from the soaring medical costs through the Ayushman card and Government health insurance plans. Read on to know who can avail of the Ayushman card and what the benefits of the scheme are.


Ayushman Card Eligibility


1. Senior Citizens



  • Eligibility is available for all seniors above 70 years in both rural and urban areas.

  • If senior citizens are already covered under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, they will be able to avail of an additional cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year.

  • Senior citizens currently receiving benefits under other public health insurance schemes, such as the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), can continue with their existing scheme or opt to switch to AB PMJAY.

  • AB PMJAY also covers senior citizens who are under private health insurance policies or the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme.


2. Urban Households



  • Ragpickers

  • Beggars

  • Domestic workers

  • Street vendors, hawkers, cobblers, and other service providers working on the streets

  • Construction workers, masons, plumbers, labourers, welders, painters, coolies, security guards, and other workers who carry loads on their heads

  • Sweepers and sanitation workers and malis

  • The following occupations are included in the Home-Based/Handicraft/Artisan/Tailor category: home-based workers, handicraft workers, artisans, and tailors.

  • Transport workers and helpers to conductors and drivers of transport, conductors, drivers, rickshaw pullers, cart pullers

  • Delivery assistants, helpers, attendants, shop workers, assistant, peon in small business, waiter, shop assistant

  • Electricians, assemblers, mechanics, and repairers

  • Washermen and chowkidars


3. Rural Households



  • Cramped, one-room couture houses in the city are the abode of families.

  • Families where no adults (16-59 years old) are present.

  • SC/ST households

  • Families that do not have a non-disabled adult member but do have a disabled adult member.

  • Households that do not have an adult male between the ages of 16 and 59 years.

  • Manual casual labour-dependent families of the landless.


Benefits of Ayushman Bharat Yojana


The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) aims to ensure that over 40% of India's population, especially the economically weaker sections of the population, can access essential healthcare. Some of the major benefits of the scheme include:


1. Comprehensive Coverage


This scheme includes support for 27 medical specialty areas, including Oncology, Cardiology, Orthopaedics, and many other specialist treatments.


2. Post-Discharge Care


The scheme also reimburses costs of post-hospitalization care, as well as prescribed medicines.


3. Multi-Surgical Coverage


There are several surgeries that receive financial assistance. First surgery is fully covered, second surgery is 50% covered, and third surgery is 25% covered.


4. Critical Illness Coverage


The scheme provides financial coverage for critical illnesses like cancer, heart surgeries, organ transplants, and other life-threatening diseases.


Conclusion


The expansion of the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme marks a major step towards improving healthcare accessibility for senior citizens in India. The Government's decision to cover everyone aged 70 and over with health insurance has added significantly to the financial protection provided against a rapidly increasing cost of medical care. Apart from the comprehensive treatment benefits, critical illness coverage, and post-hospitalisation care, the Ayushman card is also a crucial healthcare support system for the elderly citizens of the country, vulnerable families and those living in urban and rural India.