Ayushman Bharat Scheme: The coverage of free treatment facility available to about 12 crore families of the country can now be doubled. It can be announced in the upcoming budget. If announced in the budget, then about 17 crore families will benefit from it, because about 5 crore people above the age of 70 years are expected to join the scheme.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme: A big announcement can be made in the budget 2024 for about 17 crore people of the country. Modi government can give the gift of free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh to poor families. Talks are going on between senior officials and the government in this regard. Under the scheme, free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh is being provided. The proposal to double it has gone to the government. It is believed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman can announce this scheme in the budget to be presented on July 23.
In fact, under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, about 12 crore families of the country currently get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in government and private hospitals. The government believes that in view of the increasing cost of treatment, its coverage should also be increased. In such a situation, this coverage can be increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh in Budget 2024. Earlier, President Draupadi Murmu had included all citizens above 70 years of age in the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
How much will the cost increase
Doubling the coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme will also increase the cost. The National Health Authority estimates that by providing coverage up to Rs 10 lakh, there will be an additional burden of Rs 12,076 crore annually on the scheme. However, in the interim budget presented on February 1, an allocation of Rs 7,200 crore was made for the scheme, on which an expenditure of about Rs 19,000 crore is estimated to be incurred on the scheme after adding another Rs 12,000 crore.
How many people will benefit?
Under the Ayushman scheme, about 12 crore families have been added across the country. Apart from this, as per the President’s announcement, every citizen above 70 years of age will be included in it. This will increase the number of beneficiaries by 4 to 5 crore. This means that in the coming time, the total beneficiaries under the scheme will reach about 17 crore.
Why is the cost being doubled?
In view of the rising inflation and cost of treatment, a proposal was sent to the government to increase the coverage under this scheme. It was said that the scheme also includes treatments like cancer and transplant, which cost a lot. Therefore, the coverage being provided under the scheme should be increased. Let us tell you that in the year 2021, NITI Aayog had suggested free health insurance under the ‘Health Insurance for India Missing Middle’ report to cover the poor families of the country under insurance.
