PM rolls out health cover for 70-plus senior citizens

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the expanded Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) scheme. It will apply to all aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, with a benefit cover of ₹5 lakh per year in empanelled hospitals across India.

- SANKET KOUL

The expansion was part of the health projects worth ₹12,850 crore launched by PM Modi on Tuesday, and is expected to benefit 600 million senior citizens.

Under the expanded scope of the scheme, eligible senior citizens, who belong to families already covered under AB-PMJAY, will get an additional top-up cover up to ₹5 lakh per year for themselves, over the ₹5 lakh already given to the family.

All other eligible senior citizens, whose families are not covered under the scheme, will also get a cover up to ₹5 lakh per year on a family basis.

According to an official, the beneficiary base expansion will be done with an outlay of ₹3,437 crore.