Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) – Complete Guide 2026

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) - Complete Guide

What Is AB PM-JAY and Why Does It Exist?

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana — known across India as AB PM-JAY, PMJAY, or simply the Ayushman Card scheme — is the Government of India's most ambitious health protection programme to date. It was launched on 23rd September 2018 in Ranchi, Jharkhand by the Prime Minister, under the umbrella of the larger Ayushman Bharat mission recommended by the National Health Policy 2017. The scheme is administered by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The core problem this scheme was built to solve is simple but devastating: medical expenses push nearly 6 crore Indians back into poverty every single year. Before PM-JAY existed, over 62% of India's population had to pay entirely from their own pockets whenever hospitalisation was needed. A single serious illness — a heart surgery, a cancer diagnosis, a kidney failure — could wipe out years of a family's savings. PM-JAY was designed to end that cycle of medical poverty for the bottom 40% of India's population.

Who Is Eligible for AB PM-JAY?

Eligibility is determined using the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC-2011) data - no separate income certificate is needed. If your family's name is in the SECC database, you are eligible. There is no restriction on family size, age, or gender. Pre-existing diseases are covered from Day 1 with no waiting period.

For rural households, eligibility is based on the following deprivation criteria. A family that meets any one of these conditions qualifies:

For urban households, eligibility is based on occupational category:

From September 2024, all citizens aged 70 years and above are separately eligible for ₹5 lakh annual coverage through the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, regardless of income or SECC status. Senior citizens already covered under public schemes like CGHS, ECHS, or Ayushman CAPF must choose between their existing plan and this new benefit.

What Benefits Does This Scheme Provide?

AB PM-JAY provides cashless and paperless health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The benefit works on a family floater basis — meaning the full ₹5 lakh can be used by one member or shared across the whole family. There is no cap on family size.

The scheme covers approximately 1,929 treatment procedures across 24 medical specialities. This includes oncology (cancer), cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, kidney treatment, burns, mental health, and many more. Every cost associated with the treatment during hospitalisation is fully covered.

The benefits cover medical examination, treatment and consultation, pre-hospitalisation, medicines and medical consumables, non-intensive and intensive care services, diagnostic investigations, medical implantation, accommodation, food, complications arising during treatment, and post-hospitalisation follow-up care.

Where Can You Apply and How Does the Process Work?

Applying for AB PM-JAY is straightforward and free of cost. The scheme is entitlement-based, which means there is no formal enrollment process — if your name is in the SECC database, you are already covered. You only need to get your Ayushman Card issued.

You can check your eligibility and get your card through the following channels:

The process involves Aadhaar-based eKYC verification. Once verified, your Ayushman Card (physical or digital) is issued. This card must be shown at the hospital reception to initiate cashless treatment. For senior citizens aged 70 and above, the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card is issued separately through the same portal after age verification.

Documents Required

Real Value for Patients — What This Means in Plain Language

If you are a construction worker in Bihar, a domestic helper in Mumbai, a rickshaw puller in Kolkata, an SC/ST farmer in Rajasthan, or any unorganised sector worker with a name in the SECC database — this scheme guarantees that every member of your family can receive heart surgery, cancer treatment, kidney dialysis, brain surgery, or any of the 1,929 covered procedures at an empanelled hospital without paying a single rupee. There is no paperwork at the point of treatment, no premium to pay, no reimbursement chase. You show your Ayushman Card, and treatment begins.

If you are 70 years of age or older anywhere in India — whether you are rich or poor — the government now provides you a separate ₹5 lakh cover specifically for your own use. This benefit is available even if you have private health insurance.

Families that were previously covered under the older Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) are also included under PM-JAY automatically.

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