Free medical treatment for citizens over 70 under Ayushman scheme
President Droupadi Murmu announced on Thursday that all citizens aged 70 and above will now receive free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. The announcement was made during her address to the joint sitting of Parliament in New Delhi. "Now all the elderly above 70 years of age will also be covered and get the benefit of free treatment under Ayushman Bharat Yojana," she stated.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme: World's largest publicly funded health insurance
Murmu highlighted the progress of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which currently provides free health services to 55 crore beneficiaries. Recognized as the world's largest publicly funded health insurance scheme, it offers health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to 12 crore families.
Addressing healthcare coverage gap for the elderly
The decision to include citizens aged 70 and above in the scheme comes in response to a significant gap in healthcare coverage for the elderly. A study revealed that only 20% of people over the age of 60 years were covered under health schemes such as Central Government Health Scheme, Employees State Insurance Scheme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna, cooperative health insurance schemes, medical reimbursement from an employer or privately purchased health insurance.
Rapid expansion of affordable medicine centers
In addition to expanding healthcare coverage, Murmu noted the swift establishment of 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country. These centers aim to provide affordable medicines to the public. "The opening of 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country is also progressing at a fast pace," she said. These generic drug stores offer medicine sometimes costing 50% to 90% less than the branded versions available in the market.
