New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) The National Health Authority (NHA) has received over 2,600 registrations so far for the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) Auto-Adjudication Hackathon 2026, aimed at driving digital innovation in health claims processing, the government said on Monday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, AB PM-JAY – the flagship health assurance scheme — currently processes nearly 50,000 claims daily across more than 1,900 treatment packages.

However, only 15–20 per cent of claims are auto-adjudicated, highlighting the need for scalable and technology-driven solutions, it said.

The hackathon seeks to develop advanced systems for automated claims adjudication by leveraging artificial intelligence, fraud detection tools, standardised documentation, and real-time verification to improve speed, accuracy, and transparency.

The government also said that interested students, researchers, developers, startups, and professionals can register for the hackathon till April 13 — which started on March 31 — through the official portal.

To support participants, NHA will conduct a three-part masterclass series starting April 13, offering insights into claims processing systems and solution pathways. The sessions will be held on April 13, 15 and 16 from 2 pm to 4 pm.

Moreover, the hackathon will culminate in a two-day offline finale on May 8–9 at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, where shortlisted teams will present their solutions before a jury comprising experts from healthcare, technology, and public policy.

After the sessions, winners will receive cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 2 lakh for each problem statement, along with opportunities for potential collaboration with NHA.

The initiative is part of efforts to strengthen digital health infrastructure and enhance efficiency, transparency, and service delivery under the AB PM-JAY scheme, according to the government.

–IANS

ag/pk