Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) has provided over 1.2 lakh crores in free hospitalization benefits since its roll-out. PM-JAY scheme provides a health cover of 500,000 a year to eligible beneficiaries. As per the official data, more than 85.97 million people have received benefits under the said scheme.
The scheme was launched in September 2018 for 107 million poor households, covering around 40 percent of the population.
Back in 2018 when the scheme was launched a whopping share of 62% of healthcare expenses was borne out of pocket pushing poor households toward further financial marginalization.
People from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Kerala, Hyderabad, and Gujarat benefitted most from the scheme.
Around 2,000 procedures available under PM-JAY cover expenses like medicines, treatment, medicines, supplies, diagnostic services, physician’s fees, room charges, surgeon charges, OT & ICU charges, etc providing cashless treatment to beneficiaries.
Around 31,077 government and private hospitals are registered under PM-JAY to cater to Ayushman card holders. Notably, 365.4 million Ayushman cards have been issued so far.
Moreover, the Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has suggested that ‘the missing middle’ class should be provided health care cost benefits on a paid basis given the fact that a large portion of the population
According to a Niti Aayog report unveiled in October 2021, at least 30% of the population, or 400 million individuals – called the missing middle in this report – are devoid of any financial protection for health.
The coming budget is expected to strengthen the initiative by integrating these programs with those that existed earlier.
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