Ayushman Bharat Card Benefits: A Hospital List for Easy Access

Ever thought of how you can avail of healthcare services without having to think about the cost? Ayushman Bharat Yojana or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is one great scheme for free healthcare in India!

This government scheme provides health insurance coverage up to Rs. 5 lakh per family annually to crores of economically vulnerable families across the country.

This scheme has a wide, empanelled hospital network, meaning you will get good treatment in public and private hospitals. 

But the question is, how would you know if a hospital is under this network or not?

Continue reading this article to learn about the Ayushman card benefits and how to obtain a list of empanelled hospitals and get treated without any financial burden.

Introduction to the Ayushman Bharat Scheme

Ayushman Bharat Yojana, or the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY,) is one of the largest health insurance schemes launched by the Government of India. 

The PMJAY was framed to provide annual health coverage of up to Rs. 5 Lakh per family for hospitalisation expenses, predominantly for secondary and tertiary care.

The scheme is proposed to benefit more than 12 Crore families in India's socio-economically deprived sections.

The families who can benefit under the scheme are selected based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011. The scheme aims to reach out to the poorest of poor households in India who have no insurance, and thus, it targets approximately 10 crore families. 

PMJAY is designed to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenses for hospitalisations (up to Rs. 5 lakhs annually). To ensure that nobody is left out (especially women, children and the elderly), there will be no cap on family size and age under the scheme.

There are no charges for treatment, as the Government of India and State governments entirely fund the PMJAY. The funding would be shared centrally between the Centre and States. 

By providing health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation, PMJAY helps beneficiaries mitigate the financial risk arising out of high healthcare costs, which they otherwise have to pay from their household incomes/savings.

Key Ayushman Card Benefits

There are tons of Ayushman card benefits meant to provide healthcare access and affordability to millions of Indian families.

Healthcare Coverage up to Rs. 5 Lakh per family

Launched in September 2018, this scheme provides health insurance worth Rs. 5 lakh per family every year. Coverage is free for eligible families, and the central and state governments share the premium costs in a 60:40 ratio.

Coverage for All Families Listed in the SECC Database

The scheme beneficiaries are selected from the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC), which includes around eight crores in rural areas and two crores in urban areas. 

Expended Health Insurance Network

The scheme aims to improve healthcare infrastructure,, especially in rural and underserved areas. This will allow more people from all over India to access medical services.

No Limit on Family Size

There is no limit on family size or age, making this health coverage inclusive for all. Special attention is given to women, children (especially girls), and senior citizens.

Cashless and Paperless Registration

The scheme eliminates pocket expenses. PMJAY provides cashless and paperless registration; treatment can be sought across India without financial strain.

Reduction in Out-of-Pocket Expenditure

All public and empanelled private hospitals should provide services free of charge. This would reduce corruption and delays in healthcare services.

Private Sector Participation

With such a large population to support, PMJAY engages private healthcare providers to meet public health goals. It also promotes the production of more affordable healthcare equipment and medicines.

PMJAY Covers the Treatment of Pre-Existing Diseases.

Unlike most insurance schemes, PMJAY covers pre-existing illnesses. Public hospital treatment is compulsory, so no one can be turned away in case they are in need of urgent medical treatment.

Understanding the Empanelled Hospital Network

The empanelled hospitals are part of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PMJAY) scheme, which is selected and authorised by state health agencies to offer quality medical care services to eligible beneficiaries. Empanelment ensures that only reliable and well-equipped hospitals are linked with the network so that patients do not face any difficulty availing healthcare facilities on time.

Definition of Empanelled Hospitals

The government has recognised an empanelled hospital as offering treatments covered under the PMJAY scheme. The hospitals have to satisfy certain specific criteria to be part of the network hospital and provide services to eligible beneficiaries.

Criteria for Hospital Empanelment under PMJAY

To be empanelled, the hospitals are required to fulfil certain conditions, which include:

• The state health departments must license the hospital. It should have a well-trained and qualified team of doctors, surgeons, and nurses who are available 24/7.
• The hospital must consist of at least 10 beds for patients’ use. Accessible washrooms and other essentials should be available.
• A properly working IT system is necessary in hospitals to track patients and medicine stocks. Ambulance and other emergency services should be made available in case of mishaps.
• Dedicated medical officers are to be deputed for PMJAY-related operations. The hospital should also have a nearby blood bank and testing laboratory.
• The hospital should have proper medical equipment and other necessary things to run a medical college.
• The hospital should have proper facilities, such as a water supply, electricity, and a waste disposal system.

Types of Hospitals Included (Public and Private)

Under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), healthcare is provided through both public and private empanelled hospitals. 

Public hospitals from Community Health Centres and above are automatically empanelled as part of PMJAY in states that have implemented the scheme. 

Hospitals maintained by Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) can also be empanelled based on the bed occupancy ratio.

This list also includes national institutes and Institutes of National Importance under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

State Health Agencies empanel private hospitals for their respective state.

How to Access the Ayushman Bharat Hospital List

• To get the list of empanelled hospitals under Ayushman Bharat, visit the official PMJAY website: hospitals.pmjay.gov.in. 
• Now, as you are on the official website homepage, click on the ‘Find Hospital’ tab.
• You will get a list of states and Union Territories, and you must select the state and district where you want to search for hospitals. 
• The next step allows you to choose between public or private hospitals.
• From there, you can search hospitals by district, speciality, or hospital name. 

This way, you can quickly see empanelled hospitals that best suit your healthcare needs.

Downloading the Hospital List in PDF Format

To download the Ayushman Bharat empanelled hospital list, all you have to do is to just visit the following: 

https://nha.gov.in/img/resources/PMJAY-Hospital-List.pdf

Ayushman Bharat Empanelled Hospitals in Major Cities

Here are some of the top empanelled hospitals in major cities —

Top Empanelled Hospitals in Bengaluru under PMJAY

• B W Lions Superspeciality Eye Hospital
• Bangalore Nethralaya
• Belaku Eye Hospital
• Bgs Global Hospital
• Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital
• East Point Hospital

Top Empanelled Hospitals in Delhi under PMJAY

• Action Cancer Hospital
• Ardent Ganpati Hospital
• Arihant Eye Centre
• Ayushman Hospital & Health Services
• Ayushman Hospital & Health Services
• Bharti Eye Hospital

Top Empanelled Hospitals in Mumbai under PMJAY

• Apex Hospitals
• Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital For Children & Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital
• Balajee Hospital
• Brahma Kumaris Ghrc Managing Bses Mg Hospital
• Galaxy Multispeciality Hospital
• H. J. Doshi Ghatkopar Hindu Sabha Hospital

How to Avail Treatment at Empanelled Hospitals

In order to get treatment in empanelled hospitals under Ayushman Bharat, the steps are simple and hassle free. 

Steps to Avail Cashless Treatment

• First of all, you are required to reach any empanelled hospital/medical facility. 
• After this, you have to get yourself registered for the cashless treatment from the hospital. 
• Submit a reference letter from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) hospital or a government hospital and an activated printout of the Ayushman card.

Required Documents and Verification Process

To get cashless healthcare, you have to produce a referral from a CAPF hospital or any government (Central or State) hospital with an Ayushman CAPF card in live condition. The hospital authority will verify your eligibility for cashless treatment. 

Conclusion

Ayushman Bharat Yojana is an important support system for crores of families as it provides insurance coverage for holistic healthcare. 

Keeping in mind the wide network of empanelled hospitals, including both public and private hospitals, policyholders can access quality healthcare without considering high expenses.