← Government Schemes & Missions: Household & Livelihood (all topics)
Ayushman Bharat/PM-JAY
What it is
Centrally sponsored health assurance scheme launched Sep 2018 giving ~12 crore families cover of Rs 5 lakh a year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation, cashless at empanelled hospitals; now extended to all citizens aged 70+
~1,929 fixed-rate packages, funded 60:40 by Centre and states. As of Jun 2026 it had authorised ~12.7 crore admissions and approved claims above Rs 1.92 lakh cr
Impact on industries
- Converts latent demand into paying volume, especially in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Odisha, where only ~35% of the population holds health insurance
- Fixed package rates remove collection risk, and NABH-accredited hospitals earn a 10-15% uplift on every package
- Package rates sit well below private tariffs, so a rising scheme mix dilutes ARPOB and margin for organised chains
- Payment discipline is the real problem - dues are payable in 15 days, but delays drew a High Court notice and threats of mass exit by hospitals in two states