Over 10 lakh seniors enrol in Ayushman Vay Vandana

Sub : Schemes

Sec :Vulnerable section

Context:

More than 10 lakh senior citizens have enrolled for the newly launched Ayushman Vay Vandana card, within three weeks of the scheme’s rollout. Women account for around 4 lakh enrolments under the scheme.

Ayushman Vay Vandana Card:

The central government recently launched Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, an extension of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The card aims to ensure free healthcare for every citizen aged 70 years and above, providing an annual coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family.
The scheme was announced during the Union Budget 2024-25 and is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Eligibility: All Indian citizens aged 70 years or older are eligible for the benefits, regardless of income or economic status.

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY):

Ayushman Bharat is a flagship healthcare initiative launched by the Government of India in 2018, aimed at providing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services to the population, especially the economically vulnerable sections of society.
PMJAY is the health insurance scheme under Ayushman Bharat, which provides health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary
PMJAY provides cashless and paperless access to services for the beneficiary at the point of service.
Eligibility: The households included are based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas respectively.