The Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) is designed to provide comprehensive, cashless care.
I. How Many Times Can You Use the Card?
Let’s be real—this is where the scheme is most powerful.
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No Limit on Usage: The government has not set a limit on the number of times you can get free treatment in a year. The benefit is not capped by the number of visits or hospitalizations.
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The Limit is Financial: The only cap is the total financial cover. Each eligible family receives a health cover of up to ₹5,00,000 annually. You can use this amount through multiple hospitalizations until the ₹5 lakh limit for that year is exhausted. The limit resets every year.
II. Who is Eligible and Who is Covered?
The entire family unit is covered by the single limit.
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Family Coverage: The ₹5 lakh treatment facility is not limited only to the person in whose name the card is issued. The entire eligible family is covered under that single ₹5 lakh annual limit.
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Eligibility Check: The Ayushman Bharat Yojana (PM-JAY) generally covers families identified as economically weaker based on the SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census) 2011 data and existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) beneficiaries.
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New Inclusion: The scheme now specifically includes elderly people aged 70 years and above, expanding the scope of assistance.
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III. What the Ayushman Card Is
It’s the ticket to cashless treatment.
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The scheme was launched to provide assistance to economically weaker families, eliminating the financial burden of high medical costs.
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With the card, you can receive treatment that is free or cashless in all government and private hospitals that are associated with the PM-JAY scheme.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, the best next step is to use the official PM-JAY website or helpline to check your name against the SECC database.
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