Ayushman Bharat Yojana is the scheme of the Central government which focuses on the wellness of the poor families and providing medical benefits to them. The scheme will include the on-going centrally sponsored schemes- Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY). and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS). On the auspicious ocassion of the 72nd Independence Day, our honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi promulgated to launch Ayushman Bharat Yojana as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan on 25th September, 2018.
This scheme comprises of two components. Firstly, setting up of 1,50,000 health and wellness centers by the government.On 14th April 2018, the government inaugrated its first health and wellness center in Bijapur as an inititive under this scheme. Secondly, the National Health Protection Mission under this scheme aims to provide an insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh every year to around 10 crore poor families who will undergo cashless treatment at all the government and private empanelled hospitals across the country for the secondary and most tertiary care procedures.
India has attained consequential public health achievements and witnessed advancements in healthcare services during the last thirty years. The health industry of India is counted amongst the fastest growing industries, likely to arrive at $280 billion by 2020.
Even after achieving so much in the health sector, this sector still has immense loopholes requiring immediate attention. It is still typified by high medical expenditure, mediocre health insurance, and less financial protection to both urban and rural population. It is a grave situation that 62.58 percent people have to bear huge out-of-pocket medical expenses and are out of the scope of any health protection schemes. To avail the basic health facilities, they have to either sell their assets or take loans which push 4.6 percent of the population below the poverty line.
The Government of India conceived an ambitious medical scheme, ‘Ayushman Bharat Yojana-National Health Protection Scheme’ to ensure complete and efficient healthcare services to its people. The scheme will cut down the financial strain on the poor and sensitive groups, improvise the current conditions of the poor, and provide them with good medical facilities in the form of health insurance. The scheme was announced on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will be launched on September 25, 2018. The scheme is also called ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan’ and is dubbed as ‘Modicare’.
