AB PM-JAY turns 8: 13.25 crore admissions, ₹2.03 lakh crore funded
Synopsis
Eight years in, AB PM-JAY has crossed ₹2.03 lakh crore in funded hospital admissions and enrolled 48.51 crore beneficiaries — roughly one in three Indians. With two major expansions in 2024 alone and over 50 crore teleconsultations logged, the scheme has grown far beyond its original SECC-defined mandate, raising the stakes for what universal health coverage in India can realistically deliver.
Key Takeaways
AB PM-JAY completed eight years on 22 September 2026 , funding 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore .
More than 48.51 crore Ayushman cards have been issued, covering roughly 33% of India's population across 38,000+ hospitals.
In March 2024 , around 37 lakh ASHA and anganwadi families were added; over 44.81 lakh cards created for this group.
In September 2024 , the scheme was extended to all citizens aged 70+ , covering about 6 crore senior citizens ; 1.36 crore hold Ayushman Vay Vandana cards.
Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs logged over 540 crore visits and 50 crore teleconsultations as of 17 September 2026 .
India's flagship government health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), marked its eighth anniversary on 22 September 2026, having funded 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore and enrolling more than 48.51 crore beneficiaries with Ayushman cards, according to an official factsheet released on Tuesday. The scheme now covers roughly 33% of India's population through a network of over 38,000 empanelled public and private hospitals.
Scale and Coverage
AB PM-JAY provides cashless healthcare across 1,961 procedures spanning 27 medical specialties, shielding eligible families from catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditure. Beneficiary families are identified using the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011, based on defined deprivation and occupational criteria, and also include households previously covered under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY).
Key Expansions Since Launch
The government widened the scheme's reach in two significant steps. In March 2024, approximately 37 lakh families of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), anganwadi workers, and anganwadi helpers were brought under coverage; over 44.81 lakh Ayushman cards have since been created for this group. In September 2024, the scheme was further extended to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, adding about 6 crore elderly beneficiaries. As of now, more than 1.36 crore senior citizens hold an Ayushman Vay Vandana card under this provision.
The Broader Ayushman Bharat Framework
AB PM-JAY is one of four flagship programmes under the Ayushman Bharat umbrella, all aimed at building universal health coverage. The others are Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs (AAM), the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). Together, the official statement noted, these schemes are designed to strengthen India's public health infrastructure at every tier.
Primary Care Milestones
The Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, which serve as the primary healthcare pillar of the programme, have recorded a cumulative footfall of over 540 crore visits to date. More than 50 crore teleconsultations — including those conducted at AAMs — had been completed as of 17 September 2026, reflecting the programme's growing role in bridging India's urban-rural healthcare divide.
What Comes Next
With coverage now extending to frontline health workers, anganwadi staff, and all senior citizens above 70, the scheme's eligibility base has grown well beyond its original SECC-defined universe. The government's stated goal of universal health coverage will depend on how effectively hospitalisation benefits translate into improved health outcomes — a metric that official data does not yet routinely publish. Analysts and public health experts are likely to closely watch utilisation patterns, empanelment quality, and fraud-prevention mechanisms as the programme enters its ninth year.
Point of View
But they measure inputs — cards issued, admissions funded, money spent — not health outcomes. A scheme covering one in three Indians that has disbursed ₹2.03 lakh crore deserves scrutiny on what it has actually changed: hospitalisation rates for preventable conditions, out-of-pocket expenditure trends, and fraud rates among empanelled hospitals. India's public health system has historically struggled with the last of these. As AB PM-JAY enters its ninth year with a broadened mandate and a much larger elderly cohort, the pressure to publish outcome data — not just utilisation data — should only grow.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AB PM-JAY and how many people does it cover?
AB PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana) is India's government-backed health insurance scheme providing cashless hospitalisation for eligible families. As of its eighth anniversary on 22 September 2026, it covers approximately 33% of the population, with 48.51 crore Ayushman cards issued across a network of over 38,000 hospitals.
How much has AB PM-JAY spent on hospital admissions in eight years?
The scheme has funded 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore since its launch. This covers cashless treatment across 1,961 procedures in 27 medical specialties.
Who was added to AB PM-JAY in 2024?
Two groups were added in 2024. In March 2024, around 37 lakh families of ASHAs, anganwadi workers, and helpers were enrolled. In September 2024, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above — roughly 6 crore people — were included under a dedicated Ayushman Vay Vandana card.
What are the other schemes under Ayushman Bharat besides PM-JAY?
The Ayushman Bharat umbrella includes four programmes: AB PM-JAY (secondary and tertiary hospitalisation), Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs (primary care), the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (health data infrastructure), and PM-ABHIM (physical health infrastructure). All four are designed to work together toward universal health coverage.
How many teleconsultations have been conducted under Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs?
More than 50 crore teleconsultations had been conducted — including through Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs — as of 17 September 2026. The Mandirs also recorded a cumulative in-person footfall of over 540 crore visits.
