A Parliamentary Committee has proposed lowering the age limit for the Ayushman Vaya Vandana card from 70 years to 60 years, regardless of socio-economic status, to broaden the coverage of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.
Recognizing the substantial healthcare costs, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare presented its 163rd report in the Rajya Sabha on 12 March. It also recommended increasing the existing health coverage from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh per family per year.
It is worth noting that on October 29, 2024, the government had expanded the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to provide the benefit of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per year to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
However, the committee observed that many advanced diagnostic tests and high-end treatments are not covered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). To address the issue, the committee has suggested reviewing the list of covered procedures and adding new packages for critical illnesses and costly diagnostic tests, such as radiological imaging (CT scans, MRIs, and nuclear imaging), to enhance the scheme’s benefits.
