PM Narendra Modi launches Ayushman Bharat health scheme, dedicates it to nation

NEW DELHI: In less than 24 hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana , over 1,000 patients availed the benefits of the health insurance scheme across the country, with maximum cases being reported from Chhattisgarh and Haryana, followed by Jharkhand, Assam and Madhya Pradesh, official sources said.Modi himself handed out five gold cards while launching the scheme in Ranchi on Sunday. Soon after, a baby girl was born in East Singbhum Sadar Hospital in Jamshedpur to 22-year-old Poonam Mahto — the first beneficiary of the health programme after its official rollout.Within hours of the rollout of the scheme by Modi in Jharkhand, at least four patients were admitted to Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences for various treatment procedures including urology, stenting and cystoscopy.The insurance scheme seeks to provide an annual cashless health cover of Rs 5 lakh each to over 10 crore families, including 50 crore beneficiaries.While 98% of the beneficiaries have already been identified, the National Health Agency (NHA) – responsible for implementing the scheme – is currently busy dispatching letters from the Prime Minister to each beneficiary informing about the scheme and how to access care under it. These letters, containing a QR code and other details of the identified family, can be used by such patients directly at the point of care to receive services in all empanelled government as well as private hospitals.“We have dispatched over 40 lakh letters from the PM so far. These letters will be scanned by ‘Arogya Mitras’ or trained facilitators at hospitals to verify beneficiaries and provide them with healthcare services,” an official said.The NHA has also started a website mera.pmjay.gov. in and a helpline number -14555- where prospective beneficiaries can call and check whether they are eligible for the scheme. PMJAY was launched in over 445 districts across 30 states. The rollout instantly made around 2.65 lakh beds available for beneficiaries in more than 10,000 government and private hospitals empanelled by state governments.