Ayushman Vay Vandana, the initiative that extends publicly funded health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, has completed two years, recording 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions worth Rs 5,668.80 crore, according to official figures reported on the scheme's second anniversary.

Source: Voice of Healthcare (PIB/NHA figures)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the initiative on October 29, 2024. It extends the benefits of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to elderly citizens irrespective of income or socio-economic status, and is implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The initiative aims to provide financial protection to approximately six crore senior citizens across about 4.5 crore families in India.

23.46 lakhAuthorised hospital admissions
Rs 5,668.80 croreValue of approved hospital care
Rs 5 lakhAnnual cover per family
70 years and aboveEligibility, regardless of income

Under the scheme, eligible citizens aged 70 and above can access health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. Senior citizens from families already covered under AB PM-JAY receive an additional annual top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh exclusively for themselves, separate from the existing family coverage for members below 70 years of age. The official figures are as of October 20, 2026.

Eye surgery and dialysis top the claims

Cataract surgery was the most frequently availed procedure, accounting for 4.71 lakh treatments, or approximately 20.1 percent of all authorised treatments. Chronic haemodialysis ranked second, with approximately 2.90 lakh procedures. Other prominent treatment categories include total knee replacement, cardiac care, management of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute febrile illness, and acute kidney injury and renal failure.

Source: Asia Insurance Post

National Health Authority CEO Sunil Kumar Barnwal said the initiative embodies a commitment to ensuring that senior citizens aged 70 and above can access healthcare with dignity, security and peace of mind, and that extending AB PM-JAY coverage to all eligible citizens in that age group, irrespective of socio-economic status, strengthens financial protection for elderly families, according to the statement carried by Asia Insurance Post.

For families, the practical meaning of the milestone is that a parent or grandparent aged 70 or above does not need to meet an income test to be covered for hospital care under the scheme, and those already inside an AB PM-JAY family get a separate top-up reserved for the elderly member alone.