New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch health insurance for all citizens aged 70 years and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) on Tuesday, October 29. It will benefit six crore citizens from about 4.50 crore families.

An official source said that every person aged 70 years or above, whether poor, middle class or rich, is eligible to get Ayushman card and can get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in any empanelled hospital under AB PMJAY when the expanded scheme is launched. A total of 29,648 hospitals, including 12,696 private hospitals, have been empanelled under PMJAY as of September 1, 2024.

This scheme will be implemented in 33 states 

The scheme is currently being implemented in 33 states and union territories except Delhi, Odisha and Bengal. The source said that any person aged 70 years or above as per the age recorded in the Aadhar card will be eligible to apply for the scheme. He said that the 'U-WIN' portal developed for electronic registration and record keeping of regular vaccination will also be launched by the Prime Minister on the same day.

This portal is currently being operated on a pilot basis. The source said that apart from these two projects, some other projects will also be launched by the Prime Minister on Tuesday. The U-WIN platform is like the Covid-19 vaccine management system 'Co-WIN'.

This portal will provide information about vaccination

It has been developed to maintain a permanent digital record of vaccination of pregnant women as well as children from birth to 17 years of age under the Universal Immunization Program. With the digitization of the vaccination system, vaccination services can be availed anywhere in the country during the scheduled vaccination period. This portal system also sends SMS alerts for registration confirmation, reminders of upcoming vaccinations.

Largest health plan

Recently it was clarified that senior citizens aged 70 years and above who are covered under private health insurance policies or the Employees State Insurance Scheme will be eligible to receive benefits under AB PM-JAY. AB PM-JAY is the world's largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, providing health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh to 55 crore people from 12.34 crore families.