With the upcoming assembly elections next year, a flurry of government schemes is being unveiled in Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has introduced the 'Sanjeevani Yojana' aimed at providing healthcare insurance to the elderly.
In essence, Delhi's government has announced 'Sanjeevani Yojana' to offer health insurance for the elderly, noting that the central government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme has not been implemented in Delhi. Accusations have flown from the central government, suggesting political motives behind the AAP's decision to not roll out Ayushman Bharat. Yet, the AAP stands firm that their healthcare scheme surpasses Ayushman Bharat.
This past September, the central government extended the Ayushman Bharat scheme to include senior citizens aged 70 years and above, offering them up to 5 lakh rupees for free medical treatment independent of their family’s assistance. As a response, the Delhi government has decided to introduce the Sanjeevani Yojana.
Let's examine the distinctions between these schemes...
Let's First Discuss the Sanjeevani Yojana...
- Arvind Kejriwal has launched Sanjeevani Yojana to provide free treatment for senior citizens over the age of 60 within the capital. - In Delhi, every resident over the age of 60 will receive free medical care. According to Kejriwal, the government will shoulder all treatment expenses. - Kejriwal mentioned an upcoming house-to-house registration initiative to be carried out by AAP volunteers. - Anyone across income brackets stands to benefit from the Sanjeevani Yojana, meaning there are no income restrictions.
Now onto the Ayushman Bharat or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)...
- Under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, senior citizens aged 70 and above are entitled to health insurance worth up to 5 lakh rupees. Each individual over this age will receive a personal golden card.
Source: aajtak
- This decision will benefit 6 crore senior citizens from 4.5 crore families with coverage for major illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, kidney ailments, Corona, and cataracts.
- Eligibility will be determined by the birthdate on the Aadhaar card, allowing all individuals above 70 to benefit from this scheme irrespective of their income, with pensioners included in the eligibility net.
- Seniors can apply for the scheme online through the National Health Authority's portal or the Ayushman app, with the ministry conducting extensive campaigns to promote this. Help desks at hospitals and field assistance by health workers will be established to assist in creating special cards for seniors, with camps set up even in old-age homes.
- The Ministry of Health reports that the Jan Arogya scheme has about 30,000 empanelled hospitals nationwide, comprising 13,000 private and 17,000 government hospitals. All these hospitals will offer free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees should a patient require hospitalization.
- Individuals over the age of 70 who have previously registered will need to reapply for a special card, and in families where both husband and wife are above 70, both will benefit from a top-up beyond the initial 5 lakh rupees treatment coverage.
