Gujarat Doubles Insurance Cover Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

The Gujarat government has doubled the insurance cover under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh. The decision will benefit nearly 1.78 crore Ayushman Bharat card holders in the state.

Speaking to the media, State Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said that the beneficiaries will be able to avail free of cost medical treatment at over 2,000 government hospitals and 795 private hospitals in the state.

He added that the state government has received more than 39 lakh claims under PMJAY so far. Gujarat ranks fifth in the country in terms of number of claims and has secured second position in terms of amount of claims cleared. The claims worth over Rs 2,800 crore have been cleared in the state so far.

The PMJAY is a centrally sponsored health insurance scheme that provides free of cost secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to the beneficiaries. The scheme was launched in Gujarat in September 2018.

The doubling of the insurance cover is a welcome move and will provide much-needed financial relief to the beneficiaries. It will also help to improve access to quality healthcare in the state.