Social JusticeGovernance
News 16 of 24

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: ₹5 Lakh Annual Cover; Limited Tertiary Care Access in Delhi as Major Chains Opt Out

Social IssuesPolityHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
20 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:₹5 lakh annual coverSeptember 2018 launchApril 2025 Delhi rollout19,287 patients treated188 hospitals empanelled
Bodies:National Health Authority (NHA)Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI)Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, providing ₹5 lakh annual cover per household, was rolled out in Delhi in April 2025 after years of political friction with the previous AAP state government.

2.As of December 2025, 19,287 patients have been treated under the scheme in Delhi across 137 private and 51 government empanelled hospitals.

3.However, the absence of major private hospital chains limits access to complex tertiary care, with most treatments currently focused on essential services like dialysis, cataract surgery, and caesarean deliveries.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

While Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, the world's largest publicly funded health insurance scheme, has expanded in Delhi with 188 empanelled hospitals, critical gaps persist. Major private hospital chains remain absent due to low package rates, restricting beneficiary access to advanced tertiary care and highlighting the tension between universal coverage and sustainable pricing models.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Scheme NameAyushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
Annual Health Cover₹5 lakh per eligible household
Nationwide LaunchSeptember 2018
Delhi Rollout DateApril 2025
Patients Treated in Delhi (till Dec 2025)19,287
Empanelled Hospitals in Delhi188 (137 private, 51 government)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Scheme Name: Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
  • ›Annual Health Cover: ₹5 lakh per eligible household
  • ›Target this Data: ₹5 lakh annual cover per family under AB-PMJAY.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: National Health Authority (NHA) implements AB-PMJAY.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Health is a State Subject (List II, Seventh Schedule).

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which apex body is responsible for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)?

Q2Statement-basedMedium

Consider the following statements regarding Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY:

1. It provides an annual health cover of ₹5 lakh per eligible individual.

2. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with cost-sharing between the Centre and States.

3. The scheme was launched nationwide in September 2018.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricEasy

According to the news article, how many patients had received treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi till December 2025?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is identified as a primary reason for the limited participation of major private hospital chains in the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme in Delhi?

All 25 MCQs ▸
Read original article from Indian Express
You finished this topic
Practice 3 MCQs from this newsNext Article
Explore Related Topics
Social IssuesView Topic MCQs →PolityView Topic MCQs →
PreviousAcademic Migration: 13.8 Lakh Students Abroad in 2025; ACE Model for Internationalisation of Higher EducationNext 18 Major States' Capex Grows 25.7% in Q3 FY26, ₹1.5 Trillion Interest-Free Loans Drive 16-18% Annual Growth
Related Current Affairs
Social Issues Current Affairs

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: 60 Cr Beneficiaries, 13 Cr Treatments, ₹2 Lakh Crore Savings in 8 Years

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, the world's largest health insurance scheme, completes 8 years with 60 crore beneficiaries, 13 crore hospitalisations, and ₹2 lakh crore in savings. The scheme provides ₹5 lakh cashless cover per family annually, with 48.5 crore Ayushman cards issued. This news is significant for exams as it tests understanding of India's health infrastructure and government welfare schemes.

Polity Current Affairs

SC Questions FSSAI's Two-Phase FoPL Rollout, Seeks Timeline & Nutritional Literacy in Schools by Sep 28

The Supreme Court has directed the FSSAI to provide a clear timeline for its two-phase front-of-pack warning label rollout and to consider an alternative model based on nutrient thresholds. The Court also asked the Centre to introduce nutritional literacy in school curricula. This is crucial for exam aspirants as it involves judicial oversight on food safety regulation, public health policy, and education reform.

Polity Current Affairs

Health Ministry Backs Same-Sex Partners' Medical Decision Rights Under Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

The Union Health Ministry has told the Delhi High Court that excluding same-sex partners from making medical decisions for each other solely based on sexual orientation is unethical. This marks a significant administrative shift, though the government maintains that 'spouse' under Indian marriage laws only applies to heterosexual couples, creating a nuanced legal landscape for exam aspirants.

Polity Current Affairs

Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Delhi-NCR Sexual Assaults, Cites Article 21 and Nirbhaya Parallel

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of recent sexual assault cases in Delhi-NCR, flagging lax patrolling and administrative failures that make public spaces 'zones of high risk'. The court invoked Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) and drew a painful parallel to the 2012 Nirbhaya case, demanding accountability and a measurable response from authorities. This has major implications for law enforcement accountability, women's safety, and judicial oversight.

Polity Current Affairs

Delhi HC Releases 2 Life Convicts Citing Chekhov; SRB Rejection 'Arbitrary' Under Article 21

The Delhi High Court ordered the release of two life-term convicts, holding that prolonged imprisonment 'kills slowly' and that Sentence Review Boards cannot reject early release pleas based on stereotyped reasoning. The judgment reinforces Article 21 rights and sets important guidelines for evaluating post-conviction conduct.

Social Issues Current Affairs

NEET-PG Threshold Cut to 0 Percentile, NMC Flags 100+ Medical Colleges Over Quality Concerns

India's rapid expansion of medical education—doubling medical colleges and lowering NEET-PG thresholds to zero percentile—is compromising training quality and endangering patient safety. The NMC has flagged over 100 colleges for deficiencies, but deeper issues like faculty shortages and inadequate patient volume persist.

Polity Current Affairs

Delhi HC Directs Formulation of SOP for Arresting Transgender Persons; NHRC Advisory 2.0 Referred

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre and Delhi Police to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the arrest, detention, search, and interrogation of transgender persons, citing a critical legal vacuum. The court relied on the NHRC's 'Advisory for Ensuring the Welfare of Transgender Persons, 2.0' issued in May 2026, and highlighted a specific incident of rights violation. This is a key development for Polity & Social Justice syllabus, focusing on fundamental rights (Article 21), the Transgender Persons Act, and the role of NHRC.

Polity Current Affairs

Delhi HC Upholds NMC Rule Barring Foreign Medical Grads with Multi-College Degrees from FMGE

The Delhi High Court has upheld the National Medical Commission's decision to bar Indian students who obtained medical degrees after studying across multiple foreign institutions from appearing in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE). The court ruled that such 'fragmented education' compromises medical quality and is not in public interest, reinforcing the need for embassy attestation of foreign degrees.

Start Today's Quiz(25 Qs)