Medical emergencies do not wait for the right time. For millions of families in India, a single hospital stay can wipe out months of savings. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, commonly known as PMJAY, was built to stop exactly that from happening.
Under this scheme, eligible families get up to Rs. 5 lakh of health coverage every year. The treatment is cashless. There are no premiums to pay. And you can walk into any of the 36,000+ hospitals empanelled under the scheme, anywhere in India.
Here is everything you need to know about PMJAY who qualifies, how to register, how to download your Ayushman Card, and what is covered.
Detail
Information
Full Name
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
Launch Date
September 23, 2018
Annual Coverage
Up to Rs. 5 lakh per family
Total Beneficiaries
55 crore and above
Ayushman Cards Issued
44 crore and above
Empanelled Hospitals
36,000 and above
Treatment Packages
1,900 and above
States and UTs Covered
All 28 States and 8 Union Territories
Senior Citizen Coverage
All citizens aged 70 years and above
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is the health insurance arm of the Ayushman Bharat initiative. It is jointly run by the Central Government and State Governments, and it works through both insurance and trust-based models depending on the state.
The scheme provides cashless hospitalisation coverage to economically vulnerable families identified through government databases. Since September 2024, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above are covered regardless of their income level.
PMJAY is among the largest government-funded health assurance programs in the world. The coverage is designed to address secondary and tertiary hospitalisations the kind that cost the most and push families into debt.
West Bengal joined PMJAY in June 2026, completing full national coverage across all states and union territories. Earlier, Odisha had joined in January 2025 and Delhi in April 2025.
No premium, no co-payment. Eligible beneficiaries pay nothing. The entire cost of treatment is borne by the government.
Rs. 5 lakh coverage per family per year. This limit applies to secondary and tertiary hospitalisations, including surgeries, ICU stays, and specialist treatment.
Pre-existing conditions covered from day one. There is no waiting period. Whatever health condition you have when you enroll, it is covered immediately.
No cap on family size. Whether your household has 2 members or 10, everyone in an eligible family is covered. There is no restriction based on age or gender either.
Treatment anywhere in India. If you live in Bihar and need treatment at a hospital in Chennai, PMJAY covers it. The portability is nationwide.
1,900 treatment packages. The scheme covers procedures across cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, nephrology, neurosurgery, and several other specialities.
Pre and post-hospitalisation expenses. Medical costs 3 days before admission and 15 days after discharge are covered including medicines and diagnostic tests from those periods.
Cashless and paperless process. Your Ayushman Card handles the process at empanelled hospitals. No upfront payment, no piles of forms.
Eligibility is based on Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data for rural households, an occupational criteria for urban households, and an age-based criterion for senior citizens.
Any rural household falling under at least one of these categories qualifies:
Families living in a single-room house with kutcha walls and roof. Households with no adult members between 16 and 59 years of age. Female-headed households where no adult male between 16 and 59 years is present. Households with a disabled member and no able-bodied adult. Families belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. Landless families that depend primarily on manual labour for their income.
Urban households where the primary earner falls under any of these occupations qualify:
Rag pickers, beggars, and domestic workers. Street vendors, hawkers, cobblers, and other roadside service providers. Construction workers, plumbers, painters, masons, welders, security guards, and other manual workers. Sanitation workers, gardeners, and maintenance staff. Home-based workers, handicraft workers, artisans, and tailors. Transport workers including drivers, conductors, helpers, rickshaw pullers, and cart pullers. Shop workers, delivery assistants, and waiters. Electricians, mechanics, assemblers, and repair workers. Washermen and chowkidars.
Every Indian citizen aged 70 years or above is covered under PMJAY, regardless of income. This applies to both rural and urban residents.
Senior citizens who are already enrolled in private health insurance, ESI, CGHS, ECHS, or Ayushman CAPF schemes have the option to either switch to PMJAY or continue with their existing coverage.
Before applying, check your eligibility on the official portal.
Go to the official PMJAY website at pmjay.gov.in. Click on the "Am I Eligible" tab in the top menu. Enter your mobile number, fill in the captcha, and submit the OTP for verification. After logging in, select your state, district, and preferred search criteria. Enter the required details and click Search. If your family is listed as eligible, your name will appear in the results.
If you are eligible and do not yet have an Ayushman Card, follow these steps to register.
Step 1: Log in to the official PMJAY website using your mobile number and OTP.
Step 2: Select your state and district, choose your search criteria, and enter your details.
Step 3: When your name appears in the results, click the "Apply" button under the Action column.
Step 4: Verify your identity using Aadhaar OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
Step 5: Fill in all the required personal and family details and submit.
Your PMJAY registration will be complete after successful Aadhaar verification.
Keep these documents ready before you begin the registration process.
A government-issued identity proof such as a voter ID card, passport, or driving license. Proof of address in the form of a utility bill, voter ID, or passport. Aadhaar numbers of all family members to be added to the coverage. A caste certificate if you are applying under SC or ST category. An income certificate where applicable. Bank account details.
Your Ayushman Card is the document you present at empanelled hospitals for cashless treatment. Here is how to download it.
Step 1: Visit the official PMJAY website and click "Am I Eligible."
Step 2: Log in with your mobile number, OTP, and captcha.
Step 3: Select your state, sub-scheme as PMJAY, district, and search criteria. Click Search.
Step 4: Find your name in the results and click the "Download Card" button.
Step 5: Select the Aadhaar OTP verification option. Your Aadhaar number will be displayed. Click Verify.
Step 6: Accept the consent prompt. Enter both the Aadhaar OTP and mobile OTP when prompted.
Step 7: Click the download icon to save your Ayushman Card.
If you prefer a physical card, you can get one from a Common Service Centre or an empanelled hospital.
Visit the nearest CSC or an empanelled hospital's PMJAY kiosk. Carry your ration card or Aadhaar card for identity verification. Confirm your family details from the government-certified list using a PM letter or RSBY card if available. After verification, your e-card with a unique AB PMJAY ID will be printed on the spot.
Step 1: Go to the official NHA beneficiary website.
Step 2: Enter your mobile number and captcha, then click Verify.
Step 3: Enter the OTP, fill in the captcha again, and click Login.
Step 4: Select your state, set the sub-scheme as PMJAY, choose your district, and search using your Family ID, Aadhaar number, or PMJAY ID.
Step 5: The beneficiary list for your family will appear on the screen.
PMJAY covers a wide range of critical and surgical procedures. Some examples of what is included:
Coronary artery bypass grafting. Skull base surgeries. Double valve replacement. Pulmonary valve replacement. Prostate cancer treatment. Anterior spine fixation. Carotid angioplasty with stent. Laryngopharyngectomy with gastric pull-up. Tissue expanders for disfigurement caused by burns. Free COVID-19 testing and treatment.
The coverage also includes room charges, ICU expenses, doctor and surgeon fees, medicines, diagnostic tests, operating theatre charges, and implants related to the treatment.
The following are excluded from the scheme:
Organ transplants. Outpatient department (OPD) consultations. Standalone diagnostic tests not linked to hospitalisation. Cosmetic and aesthetic procedures. Drug rehabilitation programs. Fertility treatments and IVF procedures.
After registering, you can find hospitals in your area that accept PMJAY treatment at the hospital locator on the PMJAY website. The network covers over 36,000 public and private hospitals across all states and union territories.
Feature
Private Health Insurance
PMJAY
Who can get it
Any individual
Low-income families and senior citizens 70+
Premium
Paid by policyholder
Zero, fully government-funded
Maximum cover
Up to Rs. 6 crore (varies by plan)
Rs. 5 lakh per family per year
Pre-existing diseases
Waiting period applies
Covered from day one
Hospital network
Wide private hospital network
36,000+ empanelled hospitals
Ambulance charges
Available in most plans
Available in select plans
Maternity cover
Available with waiting period
Covered under specific approved packages
Health checkups
Covered in most plans
Not covered
Tax benefit
Available under Section 80D
Not applicable
Nationwide portability
Yes
Log in to the official NHA beneficiary website. Once logged in, your existing family members will be displayed. Click on the Download option and verify using Aadhaar OTP. On the next screen, click "Add Family Member," fill in the required details, and submit.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is a government health insurance scheme under Ayushman Bharat. It provides up to Rs. 5 lakh of cashless hospitalisation coverage per family per year to eligible low-income households and all senior citizens aged 70 and above. There is no premium to pay.
Rural families identified under deprivation categories in the SECC database, urban workers in listed occupations, and all Indian citizens aged 70 years or above are eligible. Private health insurance holders and senior citizens under ESI or CGHS can also opt for PMJAY.
Visit pmjay.gov.in, click "Am I Eligible," log in with your mobile number and OTP, check your eligibility, and click Apply. Complete Aadhaar-based verification to finish registration.
Voter ID, Aadhaar card, or passport for identity and address proof. Aadhaar numbers of family members, caste certificate if applicable, income certificate, and bank account details.
A PMJAY beneficiary is a person or family who qualifies for coverage under the scheme and is entitled to receive cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals for covered procedures without paying anything out of pocket.
Yes. PMJAY has full nationwide portability. You can use your Ayushman Card at any empanelled hospital across India regardless of which state you are registered in.
Yes. Senior citizens aged 70 and above who already have private health insurance or are covered under ESI, CGHS, or ECHS can choose to either add PMJAY coverage or continue with their existing scheme.
No. There is no cap on family size under PMJAY. All members of an eligible household are covered without any restriction.
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