Also: Ayushman Bharat, AB-PMJAY, PM-JAY, Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Health and Wellness Centres
Definition
India's umbrella health programme launched in 2018, with two pillars: a network of upgraded primary care centres (now Ayushman Arogya Mandirs) and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which gives eligible families cashless hospital cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year.
For most Indian families, a serious illness has long meant borrowing or selling assets. Public spending on health has hovered around one to two per cent of GDP, among the lowest of major economies, and out-of-pocket payments made up a very large share of total health spending. Studies repeatedly found that health costs push millions of households below the poverty line every year. Earlier insurance schemes, notably the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana of 2008 with cover of ₹30,000, were too small to protect against major hospital bills.
The National Health Policy of 2017 called for a shift towards comprehensive primary care and financial protection. Ayushman Bharat, announced in the 2018 Budget, tried to tackle both ends: preventing illness and catching it early through primary care, and protecting families from catastrophic costs when hospital care is needed. This page focuses on how the programme works as a financing system and what it means for household budgets, rather than on the broader health policy debate.
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