AB PM-JAY Covers Over 12 Crore Families With ₹5 Lakh a Year Ayushman Vay Vandana Extends Coverage to 6 Crore Senior Citizens, Regardless of Income 1.87 Lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Now Deliver Primary Healthcare Nationwide Free Drugs and Diagnostics Rolled Out Across the Country NHM, AB PM-JAY, PM-ABHIM and PMSSY Work Together to Build an Affordable Healthcare System
Out-of-pocket healthcare spending has long been a burden on Indian households, and the government has been chipping away at it through several channels at once: widening access to free and affordable services, building up healthcare infrastructure, and giving families a financial safety net.
Multiple Schemes Work Together to Expand Healthcare Access
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare doesn’t work alone on this. It backs up what states and Union Territories are already doing, running a mix of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Central Sector Schemes to extend affordable care and strengthen infrastructure nationwide.
The main vehicles for this are the National Health Mission (NHM), Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
Nearly 2 Lakh Health Centres Now Deliver Primary Care
Through NHM, the government supports state governments in pushing toward universal health coverage, essentially making sure basic care reaches people who need it. So far, 1.87 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been made operational across the country.
These centres don’t just treat illness, they cover the full spectrum: preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative care, along with reproductive and child health services and treatment for both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Free Medicines and Diagnostics Cut Costs at the Point of Care
Two initiatives directly target what patients pay out of pocket at public health facilities: the National Free Drugs Service Initiative and the Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, both meant to guarantee essential medicines and diagnostic tests are actually available when needed. The financial backing behind this is tiered by facility type.
States and UTs get support for 113 drugs at AAM-Sub Health Centres, 179 at AAM-Primary Health Centres, 301 at Community Health Centres, 318 at Sub-District Hospitals, and 381 at District Hospitals. Beyond that, the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) makes quality generic medicines available at low prices, run jointly with state governments. Some hospitals and institutions have also set up Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacy stores to extend the same idea further.
AB PM-JAY and Vay Vandana Provide the Financial Safety Net
Then there’s the insurance piece. AB PM-JAY offers ₹5 lakh per family per year in coverage for secondary and tertiary hospitalization, reaching more than 12 crore families, essentially the bottom 40% of India’s population by economic status. Several states and UTs have gone further, expanding the beneficiary base beyond this at their own expense. And the scheme’s reach doesn’t stop at income brackets either.
Under the Vay Vandana Card, AB PM-JAY now covers 6 crore senior citizens aged 70 and above, spanning 4.5 crore families, regardless of their socio-economic background.
Key Takeaway: The Government is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure by combining financial protection, strengthened public health infrastructure, and expanded access to affordable medicines and diagnostics.
Flagship initiatives such as the National Health Mission (NHM), Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) work together to advance universal health coverage through nearly 1.87 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, free drug and diagnostic services, affordable generic medicines under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), and AMRIT pharmacies.
Complementing these efforts, AB PM-JAY provides annual health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh to over 12 crore economically vulnerable families, while the Ayushman Vay Vandana initiative extends the same protection to all citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of income, reflecting the government’s focus on accessible, affordable, and equitable healthcare as a cornerstone of inclusive development.
M.C.Q.
Question 1: Under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), eligible beneficiary families are provided annual health insurance coverage of:
- A. ₹2 lakh per family
- B. ₹3 lakh per family
- C. ₹5 lakh per family
- D. ₹10 lakh per family
Question 2: Which of the following schemes extends AB PM-JAY health insurance coverage to all citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of income?
- A. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)
- B. Ayushman Vay Vandana
- C. National Health Protection Mission
- D. PM National Dialysis Programme
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