Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY | India Gov Schemes

Key facts

Health cover	₹5 lakh per family per year
Treatment	Cashless and paperless at empanelled hospitals across India
Pre-existing conditions	Covered from day one
Family size / age limit	None
Seniors 70+	Also covered via the Ayushman Vay Vandana card (since Oct 2024), regardless of income
Check status / helpline	beneficiary.nha.gov.in / 14555
Official portal	pmjay.gov.in

Benefits

Each covered family gets health insurance worth ₹5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. Treatment is cashless and paperless at any empanelled hospital — public or private — anywhere in India, and pre-existing conditions are covered from day one.

Who can apply

secc 2011 listed or age 70 plus

Eligibility is family-based, not income-certificate-based: rural families matching the SECC 2011 deprivation criteria and urban families in listed occupational categories are covered automatically, with no cap on family size or age. Since October 2024, every citizen aged 70 or above also qualifies under the Ayushman Vay Vandana card, regardless of income — as a separate ₹5 lakh top-up if the family already holds PM-JAY cover. The quickest way to know is to check your name on the official beneficiary portal or call 14555.

How to apply

Check whether your family is listed at beneficiary.nha.gov.in or call the 14555 helpline. If listed, complete eKYC and download the Ayushman card from the portal or the Ayushman app, or have it made free of charge at any empanelled hospital or Common Service Centre.

Check whether your family is on the list at beneficiary.nha.gov.in, or call the 14555 helpline.
If listed, complete Aadhaar-based eKYC on the portal or the Ayushman app.
Download your Ayushman card from the app or portal, or get it made free of charge at any empanelled hospital or Common Service Centre.
For a senior aged 70+, apply for the Ayushman Vay Vandana card using their Aadhaar — it is a separate ₹5 lakh cover.
At an empanelled hospital, show your Ayushman card and Aadhaar at the Aarogya Mitra desk to start cashless treatment.

Apply on the official website ↗

Documents required

Aadhaar card
Ration card or family ID

Common problems and how to fix them

Problem	What to do
Your name is not on the beneficiary list	Eligibility follows the SECC 2011 and listed categories, and everyone aged 70+ qualifies separately. Verify at beneficiary.nha.gov.in or 14555, and raise it at a CSC if you believe you should be included.
Cannot download the Ayushman card	Complete eKYC first. If it fails online, get the card made free at any empanelled hospital or CSC with your Aadhaar.
Hospital refuses cashless treatment	Confirm the hospital is empanelled under PM-JAY, ask for the Aarogya Mitra desk, and call 14555 to escalate if needed.
A 70+ parent is already in a PM-JAY family	They still get a separate ₹5 lakh top-up through the Ayushman Vay Vandana card — apply with their Aadhaar.

Relevant links

Contact information

Toll-free14555
Toll-free1800-111-565

Frequently asked questions

Is there any premium or fee?

No. PM-JAY is fully government-funded — there is no premium and no charge to make the card.

Does it cover treatment in private hospitals?

Yes, at any empanelled private hospital. Check the empanelled-hospital list on the official portal before admission.

My parents are 70+ and we pay income tax — do they qualify?

Yes. Under the Ayushman Vay Vandana card, anyone aged 70 or above qualifies regardless of income.

Is OPD (out-patient) treatment covered?

PM-JAY is mainly for hospitalisation (in-patient care); routine OPD visits are generally not covered.

Key terms explained

eKYC: Electronic “Know Your Customer” — verifying your identity online, usually with an Aadhaar OTP, instead of submitting physical documents.
SECC 2011: The Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011 — a nationwide survey used to identify eligible households for several central schemes.
CSC (Common Service Centre): A government-authorised local kiosk where citizens can apply online for schemes and services, often for a small fee.

Always confirm the latest details on the official portal before applying.