Ayushman Bharat Yojana Eligibility And Application Process Explained
What Is Ayushman Bharat Scheme?
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB –PMJAY) is a government-funded health care coverage scheme in India providing INR 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (~approx. 50 lakh individuals) in India. There are no restrictions on the number of family members, or any barrier to entry based on age, gender etc.
Who Is Covered Under Ayushman Bharat Scheme?
People identified, in one of the six deprivation categories for rural (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D7), and defined occupational categories for urban, in the Socio-Economic Caste Census data (2011) have automatically been included. Citizens, thus, need to check if they are eligible as per criteria (mentioned above).
Any citizen of India can check eligibility in one of the two ways mentioned below:
- Check eligibility on the Ayushman Bharat official website
- Call the Toll free number – 14555 / 1800111565
Checking Eligibility On The Website
On clicking the “Am I Eligible” link on the website (as shown above), the user is directed to the eligibility check page.
How to Apply for Ayushman Bharat Scheme?
If you want to get the coverage of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, then follow the steps given below:
Step 1:Upon validating with a mobile number, an OTP is sent to the citizen in order to continue further with the search process.
Step 2: Citizens or users need to provide details for search.
The search can be performed with name, mobile number and other valid government identification as indicated in the drop-down fields in the online form (on the PMJAY official website).
[Note: As the data is older than the launch date of the scheme, there are chances of failure, in case of mobile number search if the user is currently using a different number. In such cases, users may search with the mobile number that was in use earlier. Otherwise, it is advisable to search with name, father/mother/spouse name, age, district, village, etc. for improving chances of a successful search.]
If the search is successful, details of the citizen and all included family members are also displayed on the web page. There is also a unique HHD number that is provided to the citizen for getting the e-card. The e-card, or golden card, is the proof of insurance and needs to be obtained, as mentioned in Step 3, below.
Step 3: The HHD details (from the eligibility check) can be sent via SMS to the citizen as per option available on the search page. The citizen can then visit the nearest Health and Wellness/Primary care centre or a Citizen Services Centre (CSC) for obtaining the card.
If it is a healthcare centre, biometrics is obtained, and citizen record is transmitted online to the Insurer. Otherwise, if it is a CSC, citizen record, alone is transmitted.
Once the Insurer approves the enrolment, the citizen user can have a valid card which can be used for availing the necessary healthcare facilities. The same process needs to be followed for obtaining the card for family members.
Things To Note
There is NO enrolment fee as the insurance coverage is fully government-funded. If the service (Step 3) is availed at a CSC, a nominal processing fee of ₹30 (INR Thirty, only) is required. If the service is obtained at a healthcare centre, there are NO fees.
The citizen can add family members ONLY if he or she is eligible.
Citizens unable to find their name on the eligibility check website are advised to check with the District Health officer.
Conclusion
Ayushman Bharat insurance is comprehensive coverage to protect the poor and help them access quality healthcare without additional financial strain. Citizens are advised to check eligibility and obtain the e-card without delay as currently tests for Covid-19 are also covered in this scheme.
Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
