West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will launch Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in the state today. The move is aimed at achieving universal health coverage and ensuring seamless access to quality healthcare for eligible citizens across the state.
West Bengal will become the 36th State to implement the scheme. Around 1.5 crore families are expected to benefit, with cashless treatment of up to five lakh rupees per family per year. Ayushman Bharat cards will be issued free of cost to every eligible family member.
A total of 1,307 private and 627 government hospitals in the state will provide treatment under the scheme. Beneficiaries will be entitled to the scheme’s benefits from three days before hospital admission until 15 days after discharge.
For those not eligible for Ayushman Bharat, the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana will also be launched today. Around 80 lakh families are expected to be covered under the scheme.
Earlier during the signing of MoU the Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda informed that the portability feature of PM-JAY would be particularly beneficial for migrant workers from West Bengal and their families. He stated that beneficiaries working or residing in other States would be able to access cashless treatment at nearby empanelled hospitals across the country, ensuring continuity of healthcare wherever they may be.
