Budget 2024: 'Insurance For All' Reinforced With Health Cover Extension, Say Experts
In the FY25 budget, the Ayushman Bharat scheme is now going to include all ASHA, Angawadi workers and helpers over and above the existing covered populace.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced extension of health cover under Ayushman Bharat scheme to all ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists), Angawadi workers and helpers, during her interim budget 2024 speech on Thursday.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the world's largest insurance scheme, was announced to provide a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
It is currently expected to cover over 12 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 55 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40% of the Indian population.
It provides cashless access to healthcare services and covers up to three days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days post-hospitalisation expenses, such as diagnostics and medicines.
In the FY25 budget, the scheme is now going to include all ASHA, Angawadi workers and helpers over and above the existing covered populace. The allocation towards the PMJAY scheme in FY25 is pegged at Rs 7,500 crore as against Rs 6,881 crore revised estimates for FY24.
"The extension of health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to ASHA, Anganwadi workers, and helpers is commendable, especially for enhancing insurance penetration among women and to propel India towards 'Insurance for All' by 2047," said Prasun Sikdar, managing director and chief executive officer, ManipalCigna Health Insurance.
"Healthcare initiatives are expanded under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, now encompassing Anganwadi workers and helpers, reflecting the government's dedication to foundational economic sectors," said Karthick Jonagadla, co-founder and chief executive officer of Quantace Research.
The budget also allocated Rs 4,108 crore towards the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, as against FY24's revised estimated spend of Rs 2,100 crore.
