New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) More than 86.51 lakh senior citizens over 70 years have been provided Ayushman Vay Vandana (VVS) cards in a year of its launch, providing quality healthcare to all elderly, said the government on Saturday.

The Ayushman Vay Vandana Scheme, launched in October 2024, provides free healthcare benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh annually to all Indian citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income or social category.

It is an extension of the flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which provides up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to economically weaker sections.

AB-PMJAY is one pillar of the larger Ayushman Bharat scheme launched in 2018, a health initiative designed to provide equitable health coverage, especially for rural and economically weaker sections. It makes quality healthcare more affordable for over 12 crore vulnerable families.

“Till October 28, more than 42 crore Ayushman cards have been issued for AB-PMJAY beneficiaries. More than 86 lakh senior citizens have been enrolled in the scheme,” the government said in an official statement.

The other pillars under Ayushman Bharat include: Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs (AAM), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), and PM-ABHIM.

AAM ensures that primary healthcare is accessible to people near their homes or through a phone call, while ABDM digitally links all health facilities — from village clinics to big hospitals. It aims to develop the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.

It will connect different stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem through digital highways. PM-ABHIM, on the other hand, is a scheme aimed at strengthening India’s public health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness.

“Together, these schemes under Ayushman Bharat and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provide affordable, good quality and comprehensive healthcare, ensuring universal health coverage for all,” the government said.

“Universal health coverage is about ensuring everyone, including the most vulnerable families, gets access to affordable, quality healthcare, enabling them to live healthy and fulfilling lives,” it added.

–IANS

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