Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries can opt for treatments not part of health packages

In a big move, the beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme can now be able to opt for medical procedures that are not part of the designed health benefits packages, news reports suggest. Ayushman Bharat is Modi government's national public health insurance scheme.

The governing panel of the Ayushman Bharat scheme has allowed flexibility to states and union territories. The states/UTs have been given the authority to decide and approve the procedures to be booked under the unspecified surgical package up to Rs 5 lakh.

Read | What's Ayushman Bharat scheme? Available facilities and how you can get it - Details here

What this means?

The states will now have option to decide the prices of health benefits packages (HBPs).

They can also choose the list of procedures given to beneficiaries under the scheme suited to the local context. 

Large number of treatment procedures are covered under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

But in several cases, patients had to undergo treatment for procedures not defined under health benefits packages.

In such cases, patients are registered by using the category of unspecified surgical procedures (USPs).

Granting flexibilities to states will bring relief to the beneficiaries as decisions can be taken expeditiously.

Aim of Ayushman Bharat programme

The Ayushman Bharat programme was launched by the Modi government in 2018.

The aim is to provide healthcare benefits to crores of Indians who cannot afford proper medical facilities. 

The National Health Authority (NHA) is the implementing agency of the scheme.