Breaking
LIVEParliament Budget Session 2026: 9 Bills passed — opposition walks out over electoral roll deletions·BREAKINGSupreme Court gives SBI 4 weeks to submit full electoral bond matching data — 22,217 bonds still unlinked·UPDATEDelhi AQI hits Severe for 12 straight days — AIIMS study confirms 34% surge in respiratory emergencies·NEWBudget 2026: ₹11.1 lakh crore for infrastructure — roads got 38%, housing just 9%·UPDATEPM-KISAN: 3.2 crore eligible farmers excluded — land records and Aadhaar seeding failures blamed·NEWAyushman Bharat: 55.4 crore cards issued, only 15.2% ever used — rejection rate 26% nationally·LIVENREGA wages delayed 47+ days across 9 states — 2.4 crore workers unpaid despite completing work·BREAKINGBy-elections 2026: INDIA bloc wins 11 of 14 seats — a warning signal ahead of 2027 state polls·LIVEParliament Budget Session 2026: 9 Bills passed — opposition walks out over electoral roll deletions·BREAKINGSupreme Court gives SBI 4 weeks to submit full electoral bond matching data — 22,217 bonds still unlinked·UPDATEDelhi AQI hits Severe for 12 straight days — AIIMS study confirms 34% surge in respiratory emergencies·NEWBudget 2026: ₹11.1 lakh crore for infrastructure — roads got 38%, housing just 9%·UPDATEPM-KISAN: 3.2 crore eligible farmers excluded — land records and Aadhaar seeding failures blamed·NEWAyushman Bharat: 55.4 crore cards issued, only 15.2% ever used — rejection rate 26% nationally·LIVENREGA wages delayed 47+ days across 9 states — 2.4 crore workers unpaid despite completing work·BREAKINGBy-elections 2026: INDIA bloc wins 11 of 14 seats — a warning signal ahead of 2027 state polls·
NT
Explainer
🏥 HealthcareBeginner🎯 1 quiz

Ayushman Bharat PMJAY: Who Qualifies, How to Use It, and What It Actually Covers

PM-JAY offers free hospitalisation up to ₹5 lakh per year to India's poorest 50 crore citizens. But millions of eligible people don't know how to use it — or get turned away. This is your complete guide.

SV

Sunita Verma

Health Reporter

7 min read1.8L readsApr 5, 2026
Ayushman BharatPMJAYHealth InsuranceGovernment SchemeEligibility

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) covers hospitalisation up to ₹5 lakh per family per year at 29,000+ empanelled hospitals. It covers 10.74 crore families identified under SECC 2011. There is no premium — the government pays on your behalf. Pre-existing conditions are covered from Day 1.

Important: Eligibility is pre-determined — not applied for

You cannot apply for PM-JAY. Your eligibility was set based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011. Check at pmjay.gov.in or call 14555 using your Aadhaar or ration card number.

How to Get Your Ayushman Card

Getting your Ayushman (Golden) Card

1

Check eligibility

Visit pmjay.gov.in → 'Am I Eligible?' Enter your Aadhaar/ration card/mobile number. Or call 14555.

2

Visit a Common Service Centre or empanelled hospital

Bring your Aadhaar card and ration card. The operator verifies biometrics.

3

Get your Ayushman Card

A physical card (or QR-code card) is issued on the spot. It can be used at any empanelled hospital across India.

4

At the hospital — show card at the Ayushman Mitra desk

Every empanelled hospital must have an Ayushman Mitra (help desk). They verify your card and process cashless admission.

PM-JAY — What You Need to Know

  • Cover: ₹5 lakh per family per year for hospitalisation
  • Beneficiary families: 10.74 crore (approx. 50 crore individuals)
  • Procedures covered: 1,929 medical packages across 27 specialities
  • Empanelled hospitals: 29,000+ (public and private)
  • Pre-existing conditions: Covered from Day 1 — no waiting period
  • Portability: Usable at any empanelled hospital in India, not just your home state
Watch Out: If a hospital refuses your card

Ask for the refusal in writing. Call the state health agency helpline (listed at pmjay.gov.in). File on the PMJAY grievance portal or call 14555. Hospitals found unjustifiably refusing can lose empanelment. In 2025, NHA removed 214 hospitals for repeated refusals.

₹5L

Annual cover per family

1,929

Procedures covered

29,000+

Empanelled hospitals

14555

Helpline

Check Your Understanding

Under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, can you use your card at a hospital in a different state from where you live?

Share:
SV

Sunita Verma

Health Reporter

12 articles published