Overview
- The National Health Authority and West Bengal’s health department signed a memorandum of understanding at Vigyan Bhawan on Monday, formalising the state’s entry into AB PM-JAY in a ceremony attended by Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
- The scheme will extend cashless cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family to about 1.43 crore families in West Bengal, a group that includes the poorest households, people aged 70 and above, and frontline workers.
- The Centre has released initial funds for the state’s health programmes, including a first National Health Mission tranche of ₹527 crore and roughly ₹976 crore for Ayushman Bharat, with central allocations for 2026-27 cited at about ₹3,500 crore in total support.
- NHA and state teams have begun digital and administrative integration tasks such as uploading beneficiary databases, empanelling hospitals on the national portal, and training staff, and portability will allow migrants from Bengal to use the national hospital network for cashless care.
- Officials say West Bengal’s existing Swasthya Sathi enrollees are likely to be brought onto AB PM-JAY but the state will have to pay full premiums for people outside the central beneficiary list, a decision that will shape how quickly the wider population gains access.