In a move aimed at expanding public access to healthcare in the national Capital, the BJP-led Delhi Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre on Saturday to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The move is expected to benefit around 36 lakh city residents, including 6 lakh senior citizens.

With this, Delhi became the 35th State/Union Territory to implement the health insurance scheme. West Bengal is now the only State that has not implemented the scheme. The Delhi Government move, as promised in the BJP manifesto ahead of the Assembly elections, was taken to expand city residents’ access to healthcare.

The agreement was signed between LS Changsan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority (NHA), and Dr SB Deepak Kumar, Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Department of Health and Family Welfare of Delhi Government in the presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, among others. The National Health Authority is the body responsible for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme provides free and cashless treatment for 1,961 medical procedures across 27 specialities, covering cost of medicines, diagnostic services, hospitalisation, ICU care, surgeries and more. Eligible families in Delhi will now be eligible for an annual health cover of up to `10 lakh — `5 lakh from the Centre and a similar amount as a top-up from the Delhi Government. Following the signing of the MoU, a special campaign will be launched to enroll the prospective beneficiaries under the scheme. Addressing the gathering, Nadda stated, “It is a moment of pride that the world’s largest health coverage scheme which has been in place across 34 States and UTs in the country is finally getting implemented in the national Capital as well.” He asserted that this scheme is built on trust, and hence termed as an ‘assurance’ scheme and not insurance scheme. Speaking on the occasion, the Delhi CM said, “Citizens in Delhi will now be able to reap benefits from AB-PMJAY which provides free health cover of `5 lakh to each beneficiary family per year.

In addition, Delhi Government will give an additional top-up of Rs 5 lakhs over and above the cover provided by central Government. Around 6.54 lakh families in Delhi will benefit under the scheme.” She also highlighted that the intended beneficiaries will now gain access to 1,961 health benefit packages from 27 medical specialties, featuring updated procedures and better rates for hospitals. She also informed the gathering that card distributions under the scheme will be initiated from April 10 onwards.

Earlier, Nadda noted that on the basis of economic caste census, 50 crore people were brought under this scheme across the country, making it the first such scheme to do so. He also said that 36 lakh frontline health workers, including ASHA and Anganwari workers were brought under this scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Bima Yojna to cover both health and life insurance. This, he stated, was done to bring these frontline workers under the ambit of comprehensive social security coverage.

The Union Health Minister said that with the implementation of AB-PMJAY in Delhi, all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, will be covered under Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana which provides for Rs 5- lakh free health cover to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status. This will provide health cover to all eligible senior citizens where all pre-existing diseases will be covered from day one.  “It is estimated that more than 6 lakh senior citizens in Delhi belonging to 4.5 lakh families will benefit,” he added.

“With around 30 lakh people belonging to over 6.5 lakh families and an estimated 6 lakh senior citizens, about 36 lakh people in Delhi will be benefitted by the AB-PMJAY scheme.”

Nadda highlighted that through the AB-PMJAY scheme, 55+ crore beneficiaries were targeted comprising 12 crore families which covered 40 per cent of the vulnerable population of India. He said that implementation of scheme will help create a healthy, empowered and prosperous Delhi. He also highlighted that out-of-pocket expenditure has declined from 62 per cent in 2014 to 38 per cent today owing to this scheme.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare & Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel said, “Today is a historic day for the people of Delhi as this MoU reflects a common commitment of the Union and Delhi Governments to provide quality and affordable healthcare to residents of Delhi.”

Highlighting that AB-PMJAY is the largest health assurance scheme in the world, she said that Rs 1.75 crore out-of-pocket expenditure will be saved so far because of the scheme.