Lok Sabha Question No. 2938 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Amalgamation of State Health Cards
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Aparupa  Poddar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2938 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH MARCH, 2023

## AMALGAMATION OF STATE HEALTH CARDS

## 2938. SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to amalgamate all State Health Cards with PM-JAY in the country  to  bring  them  under  one  umbrella  scheme  to  access  multi  States  facilities  and  credit beneficiary;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of various health cards/schemes implemented in the country;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to make State Health Cards acceptable in all States and hospitals across the country; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e): Ayushman  Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan  ArogyaYojana  (AB-PMJAY)  is implemented in 33 States/UTs. The scheme is implemented in convergence with over 20 State specific schemes. Co-branded Ayushman Card is issued to the eligible beneficiaries supported by Centre and State in all the 33 States/UTs.

AB-PMJAY is the world's largest health protection scheme which provides health coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per beneficiary family per annum to  over 60 crore beneficiaries identified on the basis of select deprivation, and occupational criteria, in rural and urban areas respectively, as per  SECC  database  of  2011.  The  scheme  is  designed  to  provide  financial  risk  protection against catastrophic health expenditure and is implemented in insurance or trust or mixed mode as decided by State/UT. As of 09 th March 2023, a total of 23.19 crore Ayushman cards have been created against the verified beneficiaries and over 4.44 crore hospital admissions worth Rs. 53,350.20 crore have been authorized through a network of 25,969 empaneled healthcare providers including 11,700 private hospitals.

Under  Ayushman  Bharat  -Health  and  Wellness  Centres  (AB-HWCs),  comprehensive  needbased healthcare services covering maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases, including free essential drugs and diagnostic services are provided free of cost to all citizens of the country.

AB-PMJAY offers  a  unique  feature  of  portability  to  its  beneficiaries  which  allows  eligible beneficiaries to avail healthcare services (as per defined packages) in any empaneled hospital across the country.

In  such  States/UTs  where  AB-PMJAY  is  not  implemented,  National  Health  Authority  has directly  empaneled hospitals  so  that  the  beneficiaries  under  the  scheme  can  avail  healthcare facilities  even  in  those  States.  Further,  beneficiaries  of  State  schemes  which  have  been converged with AB-PMJAY, are also eligible to avail healthcare services in any  empaneled hospital across the country under the portability feature of the scheme.

As  of  13 th March  2023,  approximately  5.99  lakh  hospital  admissions  worth  Rs.  1393  crore have been authorized under the portability feature.

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