PM-JAY facilitated over 13 crore hospital admissions, says Nadda
Union Health Minister JP Nadda said on Friday that the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) has transformed healthcare in the country, with the scheme facilitating over 13 crore hospital admissions, providing treatment worth more than Rs 2 lakh crore.
Addressing Aarogya Manthan 2026 at the Vigyan Bhawan, Nadda stated that the scheme has covered over 60 crore beneficiaries and has emerged as the world’s largest health assurance programme since its launch eight years ago. The event also marked five years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
Nadda highlighted that the Government has expanded PM-JAY to include all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their socioeconomic status. He recalled that before Ayushman Bharat, families often had to sell land or homes to afford treatment, especially for serious illnesses like cancer. “I became an MLA in 1993. At that time, we would approach the chief minister to request Rs 1 lakh for a patient needing bypass surgery.
The chief minister would respond that many patients were seeking help from the relief fund and ask how many he could assist,” Nadda shared. He emphasised the portability of the scheme, particularly benefiting migrant workers, and acknowledged the contributions of State Governments, healthcare institutions, and other stakeholders in advancing the program.
Regarding ABDM, Nadda said that more than 97.8 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHAs) have been created, with over 121 crore health records linked. Additionally, over 5.6 lakh health facilities and around 11 lakh healthcare professionals are registered on the ABDM ecosystem, he said.
Nadda also highlighted the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), which seeks to bring hospitals and insurers onto a common digital platform. He said the initiatives launched at Aarogya Manthan 2026 would further strengthen digital healthcare, facilitate secure use of health data and create opportunities for health research, innovation and data-driven decision-making.
