Ayushman Bharat Extends Health Coverage to All Citizens Over 70

The Union Cabinet's decision will benefit six crore senior citizens with Rs 5 lakh of free health insurance annually.

The Union government has approved health coverage for all citizens aged 70 and above under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The scheme will provide Rs 5 lakh of free health insurance per year to senior citizens, benefiting 4.5 crore families.
Eligible senior citizens will receive a new distinct card under AB PM-JAY, and those already covered by other schemes can choose to switch.
Senior citizens covered by private policies or the Employees' State Insurance Scheme are also eligible for AB PM-JAY.
AB PM-JAY is the world's largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, covering 55 crore people and facilitating over 7.37 crore hospital admissions so far.