Ayushman Bharat Launch In Delhi: 110 Hospitals To Implement Scheme

In a major move to increase access to healthcare services, the Delhi government has directed 110 hospitals in the nation's capital to quickly implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). In an advice sent on Friday, the Department of Health & Family Welfare urged all hospitals on the list to sign contracts and start the program right once so that recipients can receive treatment right away.

After the Rekha Gupta-led BJP administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on April 5, Delhi was formally onboarded to the Ayushman Bharat scheme. As a result, Delhi joined the Central Government's flagship health insurance program as the 35th state or union territory.

Up to ₹10 lakh in cashless healthcare coverage is provided to each family yearly under the Ayushman Bharat plan. This comprises ₹5 lakh from the central government and an extra ₹5 lakh top-up from the government of Delhi. The program covers 1,961 procedures in 27 categories, including hospitalization, operations, ICU care, medications, and diagnostics.

On April 10, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta declared that about 6.54 lakh families in Delhi would receive Ayushman Bharat cards as part of the program's start. The initiative would provide healthcare access to almost 3.6 million people in the city, including about 600,000 older residents, according to Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

To guarantee a seamless launch, copies of the agreement and comprehensive implementation directions have been distributed to hospitals. This plan has been a top priority for the BJP-led Delhi government, which ended a 26-year lapse in the party's control of Delhi when the cabinet approved its implementation in the first meeting after entering power in February.

CM Gupta also underlined the creation of 1,139 "Arogya Mandirs" throughout the capital and asked MLAs to assist qualified citizens, particularly those over 70, in obtaining their health cards as soon as possible.