Ayushman Bharat coverage extended to senior citizens above 70: How to apply, benefits, eligibility
Earlier, senior citizens used to get benefits from the health cover as part of the family. However, with the roll-out of extended cover, senior citizens aged 70 or above will get an individual cover of Rs 5 lakh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will launch health coverage for citizens above 70 years of age under the AB-PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat). The Union Cabinet approved the extended health coverage of Rs 5 lakh to the age group on September 11.
According to the govt, senior citizens with age equal to or greater than 70 will get lifetime health coverage of Rs 5 lakh irrespective of income. The step will benefit 6 crore senior citizens of 4.5 crore families.
Benefits of Scheme
The people under the concerned age category will be issued a distinct card. It is pertinent to note that Rs 5 lakh is the top-up cover for people aged 70 or above and will be separate from that the family is already getting under Ayushman Bharat. This means that elderly people will not be required to share their coverage with the members of their families.
Additionally, the senior citizens who are availing benefits of private policies or Employees' State Insurance scheme can also take benefit of the scheme.
Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) beneficiary can also avail the benefit of Ayushman Bharat's extended cover for people aged 70 or above.
Eligibility Criteria
The applicant must be a permanent resident of India and at least 70 years of age.
Currently, the scheme is being rolled out in 33 states/UT except Delhi, Odisha and West Bengal.
All citizens, equal or above 70 years of age.
How to apply?
Eligible people can avail of the benefits of the scheme by registering on the PMJAY portal or the Ayushman app. Senior citizens who already have the Ayushman card will also have to make a fresh application and complete their eKYC for a new updated card.