A parliamentary committee has recommended the gradual inclusion of essential outpatient department (OPD) services and an expanded scope of post-hospitalisation medication coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Recognising that the scheme primarily focuses on secondary and tertiary inpatient care, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare highlighted a critical gap in access to healthcare due to the absence of routine OPD services and the limited duration of post-hospitalisation medication support.
To bridge this gap, the committee proposed a phased roll-out, initially covering essential OPD services for chronic illnesses and commonly reported conditions. Additionally, it recommended extending post-hospitalisation medication coverage beyond the existing 15-day limit, particularly for conditions requiring long-term treatment. This expansion would ease the financial strain on beneficiaries while enhancing overall healthcare accessibility.
The panel also urged the National Health Authority (NHA) to establish a proactive, data-driven, and transparent monitoring mechanism for early detection of potential misuse within the AB-PMJAY framework. Rather than merely responding to reported fraud, this system should continuously analyse claim data, hospital activities, and patient feedback to identify statistical anomalies and emerging trends that may indicate misuse.
To strengthen this approach, the committee recommended that the Union Health Ministry leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools for comprehensive data collection and analysis. A transparent, data-driven oversight mechanism would not only enable swift intervention but also act as a deterrent against fraudulent activities, ensuring the scheme’s resources are utilised efficiently and maintaining public confidence in the program.
The committee also acknowledged ongoing proposals to set up Day Care Centres with 4–6 beds for administering chemotherapy to cancer patients, where necessary medications would be provided. It emphasised the need for the swift implementation of these proposals at the ground level. Furthermore, it suggested that separate healthcare personnel, including doctors and nurses, be designated for these centres rather than drawing from the already stretched resources of district hospitals.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech, announced that the government plans to establish daycare cancer centres in all district hospitals over the next three years, with 200 centres set to be operational in 2025-26.
Additionally, the committee underscored the importance of incorporating non-communicable disease (NCD) screening as a core element of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPNCD). It recommended nationwide screening for individuals aged 30 and above to detect conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, oral cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer, as part of a national campaign launched on February 20, 2025.
