Ayushman Bharat Yojana: Free Health Insurance for Poor Families

The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, also known as PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana), is one of the biggest health insurance schemes launched by the Government of India. It was started in 2018 to provide free medical treatment to poor and vulnerable families.

What is Ayushman Bharat Yojana?

Under this scheme, eligible families get free health insurance cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year. This amount can be used for treatment in government and empanelled private hospitals across India.

The scheme mainly helps people who cannot afford expensive medical treatment.

Key Benefits of Ayushman Bharat Yojana
Free health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year
Covers hospitalization, surgery, medicines, and tests
Cashless treatment in empanelled hospitals
No age limit and no restriction on family size
Covers pre-existing diseases from day one

Who is Eligible?

Eligibility is based on SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census) data. Generally, the scheme covers:

Poor and economically weak families
Rural and urban households listed under SECC
Families without regular income sources
Eligible families receive an Ayushman Card, which is required to get free treatment.

How to Use Ayushman Card?

Visit an Ayushman Bharat empanelled hospital
Show your Ayushman Card
Get cashless treatment without paying money
Hospitals verify details online and start the treatment.

Diseases Covered Under the Scheme

Heart surgeries
Cancer treatment
Kidney and liver diseases
Orthopedic surgeries
Critical and major illnesses
More than 1,500 medical procedures are covered under PM-JAY.

How to Check Eligibility?

People can check their eligibility by visiting the official Ayushman Bharat portal or by visiting a Common Service Center (CSC) near them.

Conclusion

Ayushman Bharat Yojana is a major step toward providing free and quality healthcare to poor families in India. With health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh, the scheme reduces the financial burden of medical treatment and ensures better healthcare access for millions of people.