Ayushman Bharat turns 8: 48.51 crore cards, ₹2.03 lakh crore in claims
Synopsis
Eight years in, Ayushman Bharat has issued over 48.51 crore cards, funded 13.25 crore hospital admissions, and disbursed ₹2.03 lakh crore in claims — making it one of the world's largest public health insurance programmes. BJP chief Nitin Nabin marked the anniversary by crediting PM Modi, while attention now turns to whether coverage depth can match the headline numbers.
Key Takeaways
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY completed eight years on 23 September 2026 .
Over 48.51 crore Ayushman cards have been issued; 13.25 crore hospital admissions funded worth ₹2.03 lakh crore .
More than 60 crore beneficiaries across all 36 states and UTs receive annual cover of up to ₹5 lakh .
Over 1.86 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have logged more than 500 crore healthcare visits.
Scheme extended in March 2024 to cover 37 lakh families of ASHA and anganwadi workers; 44.81 lakh cards created for them.
The programme covers 1,961 procedures across 27 specialities through a network of over 38,000 empanelled hospitals.
India's flagship government health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), completed eight years on 23 September 2026, marking the milestone with numbers that reflect its scale: more than 48.51 crore Ayushman cards issued, 13.25 crore hospital admissions funded, and a cumulative claims outlay of ₹2.03 lakh crore. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin hailed the anniversary, saying the scheme continues to advance with the vision of a 'healthier citizen and a stronger Bharat.'
Scale and Coverage
According to official data, AB-PMJAY currently covers approximately 33 per cent of India's population, with benefits extended across all 36 states and Union Territories. More than 60 crore beneficiaries are eligible for an annual health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family under the scheme. The programme operates through a network of over 38,000 empanelled public and private hospitals, providing cashless access to 1,961 procedures across 27 medical specialities.
Community-Level Healthcare Through Arogya Mandirs
Beyond hospital coverage, the scheme's community health infrastructure has also expanded significantly. Over 1.86 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established across the country, collectively recording more than 500 crore healthcare visits, according to the BJP president's remarks. These centres are designed to bring primary healthcare closer to grassroots communities, reducing the burden on tertiary facilities.
Expansion to ASHA and Anganwadi Workers
In a notable policy extension in March 2024, the Centre broadened the scheme's ambit to cover approximately 37 lakh families of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), anganwadi workers, and anganwadi helpers — the frontline workforce of India's public health system. As of the latest data, over 44.81 lakh Ayushman cards have been created specifically for this category of beneficiaries.
What BJP's Nitin Nabin Said
Posting on social media platform X, Nitin Nabin credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming healthcare accessibility. 'Under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the Ayushman Bharat journey, which began 8 years ago, has opened a new chapter in making healthcare security more accessible to citizens across the country,' he wrote. He described the scheme as a structural safeguard against catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditure for low-income households.
What the Scheme Is Designed to Do
AB-PMJAY is a public health assurance scheme aimed at shielding vulnerable families from large, unplanned medical bills that can push households into poverty. By offering cashless, end-to-end hospitalisation cover across a wide range of specialities, the programme targets the segment of the population with limited or no private health insurance. Notably, the scheme's expansion to ASHA and anganwadi workers acknowledges the health coverage gap among India's own public health workforce.
With the scheme entering its ninth year, policymakers and health experts are expected to focus attention on deepening hospital empanelment in underserved districts and improving claims settlement timelines — areas that independent assessments have flagged as ongoing challenges.
Point of View
₹2.03 lakh crore in claims, 500 crore healthcare visits — are significant on their face, but the more important question is utilisation quality: what share of those admissions were in tier-2 and tier-3 districts where healthcare deficits are sharpest? Coverage headcount and effective access are not the same metric, and independent audits have repeatedly found gaps between empanelled hospital capacity and actual claims uptake in rural areas. The extension to ASHA and anganwadi workers is a long-overdue acknowledgment that India's frontline health workforce was itself unprotected. As the scheme enters its ninth year, the policy challenge shifts from enrolment to accountability — how claims are processed, how fraud is checked, and whether the ₹5 lakh cover is genuinely reaching the families it was designed for.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and how does it work?
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is India's government-funded health insurance scheme that provides cashless hospitalisation cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year to eligible families. It covers 1,961 procedures across 27 medical specialities through a network of over 38,000 empanelled public and private hospitals nationwide.
How many people are covered under Ayushman Bharat in 2026?
According to official data, more than 60 crore beneficiaries across all 36 states and Union Territories are covered, representing approximately 33 per cent of India's population. Over 48.51 crore Ayushman cards have been issued as of September 2026.
What are the key milestones of AB-PMJAY at eight years?
In eight years, the scheme has funded 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore. Over 1.86 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been set up, clocking more than 500 crore healthcare visits. The scheme was also extended in March 2024 to cover 37 lakh families of ASHA and anganwadi workers.
Were ASHA and anganwadi workers included in Ayushman Bharat?
Yes. In March 2024, the Centre expanded the scheme to approximately 37 lakh families of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), anganwadi workers, and anganwadi helpers. Over 44.81 lakh Ayushman cards have since been created for this category.
What did BJP chief Nitin Nabin say on Ayushman Bharat's anniversary?
BJP National President Nitin Nabin posted on X that the scheme, launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, has 'opened a new chapter in making healthcare security more accessible to citizens.' He described it as a vehicle for 'a healthier citizen and a stronger Bharat.'
