The Center is planning to extend healthcare benefits under the Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to include a broader part of the population, especially the middle-income group. Sources have revealed that they are requesting data on numerous health insurance systems administered by different ministries to determine how to increase the coverage of the main scheme on a sustainable basis.

It was also revealed that several discussions have taken place with insurance firms to ascertain their interest in such an expansion of the plan as well as the necessity for any financial assistance. On the lines of the governments flagship life and accident insurance systems, the scheme will be expanded to another 100 million or more households for a modest price.

Currently, the AB-PMJAY provides 107 million poor households with free health coverage worth Rs. 5 lakhs per year. The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and state government extension schemes provide comprehensive hospitalization cover to the bottom 50% of the population, i.e., approximately 700 million individuals.

Previously, in a report published in October 2021 on Health Insurance for India’s Missing Middle, Niti Aayog highlighted the need to design a low-cost comprehensive health insurance product for the missing middle class. The report also recommended that the government can partially finance the health insurance.

(Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/healthcare/centre-to-widen-low-cost-health-cover-to-another-100-mn-families/3079251/ )