Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana - Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY)
ActiveLaunched by
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Launched Date
Launched On 23rd September, 2018
Available in
Scheme Description
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), launched on 23rd September 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ranchi, Jharkhand, is a major component of the Ayushman Bharat initiative. It is the world’s largest health assurance scheme, aimed at providing a health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. The scheme targets over 12 crore poor and vulnerable families, equating to about 55 crore beneficiaries, based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011. PM-JAY replaced the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) and subsumed the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), which was launched in 2008.
The scheme offers comprehensive coverage for hospitalization, including medical treatments, surgeries, and diagnostics, at both public and private empanelled hospitals. It covers pre-hospitalization expenses for up to 3 days and post-hospitalization expenses for 15 days. Beneficiaries can access cashless treatment across India, with no restrictions on family size, age, or gender. Importantly, all pre-existing conditions are covered from day one. With 1,929 medical procedures included, the scheme also covers the cost of drugs, supplies, diagnostic services, and surgeon fees, making healthcare accessible to the underprivileged.
PM-JAY is entirely funded by the government, with implementation costs shared between the Central and State Governments. The scheme aims to reduce the financial burden of medical treatment, which pushes nearly 6 crore Indians into poverty annually. It is a portable service, meaning beneficiaries can avail themselves of cashless treatment at any empanelled hospital across the country.
Benefits
- •Cashless cover up to ₹5,00,000 per eligible family annually.
- •Covers medical examination, treatment, and consultation.
- •Includes expenses for pre-hospitalization care.
- •Covers medicines and medical consumables.
- •Includes non-intensive and intensive care services.
- •Covers diagnostic tests and laboratory investigations.
- •Medical implantation services (if required).
- •Accommodation benefits during hospitalization.
- •Provides food services during hospitalization.
- •Post-hospitalization follow-up care for up to 15 days.
- •Pre-existing diseases are covered from day one of enrollment.
Eligibility
- •Rural: Families living in one-room houses with kuccha walls and roof.
- •Rural: Households with no adult members between age 16 and 59.
- •Rural: Female-headed households with no adult male members (16–59 years).
- •Rural: Households with a disabled member and no able-bodied adult.
- •Rural: SC/ST households.
- •Rural: Landless households depending on manual labor for livelihood.
- •Urban: Ragpicker families.
- •Urban: Beggar households.
- •Urban: Domestic worker families.
- •Urban: Families with street vendors, cobblers, hawkers.
- •Urban: Families with construction workers, plumbers, painters, porters, welders.
- •Urban: Families of sanitation workers.
- •Urban: Rickshaw puller households.
- •Urban: Families of shop workers, assistants, peons, waiters, delivery staff.
- •Urban: Families with electricians, mechanics, or repair workers.
- •Urban: Families of transport workers.
- •Urban: Washerman households.
- •Urban: Gardener households.
Documents Needed
- •Aadhaar Card
- •Ration Card or Family ID
- •Voter ID (optional for identity verification)
- •Income Certificate (if applicable)
- •SECC 2011 proof (if required for verification)
- •Mobile number linked with Aadhaar (for OTP verification)
- •Passport-size photograph (for Ayushman Card, if needed)
Application Process
- •Check eligibility on the PM-JAY portal by verifying mobile number at https://mera.pmjay.gov.in.
- •Visit a nearby Ayushman Bharat empanelled hospital or Common Service Centre (CSC).
- •Carry Aadhaar Card and other identity or address proof documents.
- •Get identity and eligibility verified by the hospital or CSC representative.
- •Receive the PM-JAY Ayushman Card after successful verification.
- •Use the Ayushman Card to access free treatment at any empanelled public or private hospital.