More health packages focused on elderly care likely to be added to AB-PMJAY

The National Health Authority, the implementing agency for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), is assessing the need to add more health packages catering to the elderly as the government is set to roll out the health coverage for all aged 70 years and above.

The expanded scheme, which will benefit an estimated six crore citizens in about 4.5 crore households, is likely to be launched by the end of this month, official sources said.

"The committee which decides on health-benefit packages under the scheme is deliberating on the need for adding more health packages, which exclusively tend to geriatric care, as the number of such beneficiaries will go up with the launch of the scheme," an official source said.

The scheme presently offers a comprehensive coverage that includes 1,949 medical procedures across 27 medical specialties, such as general medicine, surgery, oncology and cardiology.

Hospital services, including drugs (covering 15 days' medication ...