The Union Cabinet has directed all Central government ministries to register their respective hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat--Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) health insurance scheme.
Recently, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Guaba had written to all Central ministries and the National Health Authority (NHA) to empanel more hospitals under AB-PMJAY.
As of now, 18,649 hospitals have been empanelled and more than 55 lakh beneficiaries have been provided with free treatment under the AB-PMJAY.
It has been decided that all public hospitals should be empanelled with AB-PMJAY in order to expand its coverage.
In this regard, the Cabinet Secretary has urged all the ministries to empanel their hospitals (with inpatient facilities) with AB-PMJAY, said a top source at the NHA.
He said that as of now hospitals from various departments like Railways, Coal India, Steel Authority of India (SAIL), and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are on board with us and others are in the process.
Confirming the development, Dr JL Meena, General Manager, Hospital Networking and Quality Assurance at AB-PMJAY said: "Once all hospitals across the country join AB-PMJAY, a more number of Ayushman beneficiaries will be able to get the treatment. It will not expand the coverage under the scheme but will also help to strengthen infrastructure, manpower and overall development in the healthcare sector."
Meena said that the NHA would extend all its required support to the emplaned hospitals.
To initiate the process of empanelment under AB-PMJAY, the hospitals have to submit an application online portal. The empanelled hospitals will need to designate a 'Pradhan Mantri Arogya Mitra' to act as an interface between the scheme and the beneficiaries, said the official.
The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), India's flagship healthcare scheme, provides a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year to around 50 crore poor and vulnerable individuals.
( With inputs from ANI )