New Delhi: As the government prepares to roll out health coverage for all people aged 70 years and above, the National Health Authority (NHA), the implementing agency of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), is assessing the need to add more health packages for the elderly.

Preparations to add more health packages

The expanded scheme is likely to be launched by the end of this month, official sources said. It will benefit six crore citizens from about 4.5 crore families. The committee deciding on the health benefit package is deliberating on the need to add more health packages, especially those related to old age care. The number of such beneficiaries will increase after the scheme is launched.

Who will get the benefit

The scheme currently offers comprehensive coverage, covering 1,949 medical procedures across 27 medical specialties such as general medicine, surgery, cancer and cardiology.

Hospital services, medicines (15 days of medicines after discharge from hospital), diagnostic facilities (up to three days before admission), food and accommodation services are provided free of cost to the beneficiaries.

Hospitalisation due to certain mental health conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia is also covered under the current scheme. Be it the poor, middle class, upper-middle class or the rich.

Every person aged 70 years and above will be eligible to obtain the Ayushman card and get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at any Ayushman Bharat empanelled hospital once the extended scheme is launched.

Delhi, Odisha and Bengal scheme not implemented

As of September 1, a total of 29,648 hospitals, including 12,696 private hospitals, were empanelled under the scheme, which is being implemented in 33 states and union territories. At present, the scheme is not applicable in Delhi, Odisha and Bengal. Anyone aged 70 years or above as per the Aadhaar card will be eligible to apply under the scheme.