<h2>Progress of Ayushman Bharat Schemes (as of 28 Feb 2026)</h2>
<p>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released a comprehensive update on two flagship health initiatives – <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) — a centrally funded health insurance scheme that provides up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care, targeting the bottom 40 % of the population (GS1: Health)">AB-PMJAY</span> and the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) — a government programme launched in 2021 to create a unified digital health ecosystem, linking health records, IDs and service providers (GS3: Technology & Governance)">ABDM</span>. The data reflect rapid scaling of both coverage and digital infrastructure.</p>
<h3>Key Developments (Feb 2026)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Total Ayushman cards created: <strong>43.52 crore</strong>, including <strong>1.14 crore</strong> senior‑citizen <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ayushman Vay Vandana cards — special AB-PMJAY cards issued to citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of socio‑economic status (GS1: Health)">Vay Vandana</span> cards.</li>
<li>Hospitals empanelled under AB-PMJAY: <strong>36,229</strong> (public: <strong>19,483</strong>; private: <strong>16,746</strong>).</li>
<li>Cashless procedures covered under the latest <span class="key-term" data-definition="Health Benefit Package (HBP) — the list of medical procedures and services for which AB-PMJAY provides cashless treatment, currently 1,961 procedures across 27 specialties (GS1: Health)">HBP</span>: <strong>1,961</strong> across <strong>27</strong> specialties.</li>
<li>Hospital admissions authorised: <strong>11.69 crore</strong> admissions amounting to <strong>Rs 1.73 lakh crore</strong> in expenditure.</li>
<li>ABDM digital footprint: <strong>86.64 crore</strong> <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) — a unique health ID for every citizen that links all their medical records in the digital ecosystem (GS3: Digital Governance)">ABHA</span> accounts created; <strong>90.70 crore</strong> health records linked; <strong>2.56 lakh</strong> facilities using ABDM‑enabled software.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Important Facts</h3>
<p>The scheme now covers <strong>12 crore families</strong> (bottom 40 % of the population) and, as of March 2024, an additional <strong>37 lakh</strong> families of ASHA workers, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers. Moreover, the senior‑citizen extension adds <strong>6 crore</strong> beneficiaries (4.5 crore families) aged 70 years and above, irrespective of economic status.</p>
<h3>UPSC Relevance</h3>
<p>Understanding the scale and design of AB‑PMJAY and ABDM is crucial for several UPSC topics:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Social Justice & Health Security (GS1)</strong>: The scheme exemplifies targeted public‑spending for universal health coverage and the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as senior citizens.</li>
<li><strong>Digital Governance (GS3)</strong>: ABDM showcases the government's push for interoperable digital infrastructure, data privacy, and citizen‑centric services.</li>
<li><strong>Fiscal Implications (GS3)</strong>: The authorised expenditure of Rs 1.73 lakh crore highlights the budgetary burden and the need for sustainable financing.</li>
<li><strong>Policy Implementation (GS2)</strong>: The empanelment of both public and private hospitals illustrates the public‑private partnership model in health service delivery.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>While the numbers indicate impressive outreach, the following steps are essential for consolidating gains:</p>
<ul>
<li>Strengthen quality assurance mechanisms across the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Empanelled hospitals — hospitals approved by the government to provide cashless treatment under AB‑PMJAY, subject to compliance with standards (GS2: Governance)">empanelled hospitals</span> to ensure uniform standards of care.</li>
<li>Accelerate integration of peripheral health centres into ABDM to achieve a truly universal digital health record system.</li>
<li>Enhance monitoring of claim fraud and misuse, leveraging the digital IDs and linked records.</li>
<li>Promote awareness among senior citizens about the Vay Vandana cards to maximise utilisation.</li>
</ul>
<p>These measures will help India move closer to the goal of <em>“Health for All”</em> while maintaining fiscal prudence and technological robustness.</p>
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