OPINION | Free Health Cover: Modi’s Festival Gift to Elderly

Let me explain in brief the benefits that citizens above 70 years of age will get under Ayushman Bharat scheme. One, they will get free hospitalization cover upto Rs 5 lakh, irrespective of their income.

On Dhanteras, when Indians worshipped God Dhanwantari and Kuber for good health and prosperity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched free Rs 5 lakh medical insurance to all citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their income level. This is part of the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat-PM Jan Arogya Yojana which was launched in 2018 for vulnerable sections with a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Modi apologized to the elderly people living in Delhi and West Bengal for being "unable to serve" them since the governments of these states have not joined Ayushman Bharat scheme. This will deprive millions of elderly people above 70 years free healthcare. So far, nearly four crore poor people have availed benefits under Ayushman Bharat scheme, Modi said. These poor people would have shelled out Rs 1.25 lakh crore from their own pockets, if they had not been covered under this scheme, the PM said.

Two, elderly couple above 70 will both be covered upto Rs 5 lakh annually under this scheme. If any poor family is already covered under Ayushman scheme, the elderly members above 70 years will get extra benefits of upto Rs 5 lakh. They will have to update their KYC details and the Rs 5 lakh cover will be available only for the elderly. No family member below 70 years can share that cover.

Three, if any elderly citizen is already covered under private medical insurance, he or she will still be entitled to be enrolled under Ayushman scheme. Four, those ex-government employees above 70, already having CGHS card and availing CGHS hospitalization benefits, will have to choose between either CGHS or Ayushman Bharat scheme. They cannot avail benefits of both schemes at a time.

Five, citizens above the age of 70, will have to get their Ayushman Bharat card made, and the process has begun from October 29. I would like to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching this scheme for the elderly people, without linking it to their income level. Modi is surely going to get the blessings of the elderly Indians.

Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm

India's Number One and most followed Super Prime Time News Show 'Aaj Ki Baat- Rajat Sharma Ke Saath' was launched just before the 2014 General Elections. Since its inception, the show has redefined India's super-prime time and is numerically far ahead of its contemporaries.