What Is Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana? Who Will Be Covered?

Health is wealth is one proverb which we humans recite day in and day out. It has always been a cause of concern for anyone, whether they are from an affluent families or middle class or the lower income group. Though the middle class too feels the pinch in their pockets but still runs errands for the treatment, the major sufferers are the lower income group.

They are at the mercy of the state and the government hospitals, where they need to wait for hours to get the treatment. Whereas few treatments being costly and they cannot afford it, they are left to wither without any form of treatment.

Thus with loud applause from the citizens of India, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, firmly announced the "Jan Arogya Yojna". In short the schemes main focus is health maintenance for the poor and the lower middle class income group. This most awaited scheme would be launched on the 25th September 2018 on the birthday eve of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay (Former RSS and founder of Bharitya Seva Sangha).

More about the Jan Arogya Scheme:

An opening statement by PM Modi, in his own words, " It is essential to ensure that we free the poor of India from the clutches of poverty due to which they cannot afford healthcare", this is the reason and thought why this scheme has come into existence. As said, this scheme was announced to provide healthcare facilities and treatments to those sections of the society who cannot afford even the basic health facility across the country due to lack of monetary provisions.

This includes 8.03 crores in rural and 2.33 crores in urban area as per statistics provided by the Socio-Economic Caste Sensus (SECC) data. The scheme aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families ( approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and provide health cover upto Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

What was the need of the Scheme:

Though the minority community were helped by other schemes offered by the government, eg. above 3 lakh families have been saved using the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and other health schemes, but still the entire family was not covered. The scheme was applicable to only one person and the others in the family if sick could not afford the treatment would be left to the mercy of the universe. Whereas the Jan Arogya Scheme focuses on not just individuals but also family as a whole.

What is covered under the Jan Arogya Scheme?

The scheme claims to cover medical and surgical treatments that fall under 25 specialities like cardiology, neurosurgery, oncology ( Cancer in children have been stressed first), burns etc. Only that patients cannot opt for surgery and medical packages at the sametime.

Benefits of the Scheme:

Being one of the biggest health scheme is the biggest benefit, but apart from it other benefits covered includes:

1. Cashless treatment ( right from registration to billing to cost of medical equipment to consultation, fees to food and care) across major government and public and private hospitals who are registered across the scheme.

2. It covers the pre and post hospitalization expense and free follow-ups.

3. Since the scheme is open to every individual, there is no age restriction and the size of the family too is not accounted for.

4. If multiple surgeries are required, the highest package price would be waved off for the first treatment, followed by 50%for the second and 25% for the third treatment.

Who are eligible under the Jan Arogya Scheme?

As per the data provided by the Socio-Economic caste census, individuals and family that falls below the poverty line and low income group are eligible for this scheme. Few categories listed by them in the Rural area includes:

1. People staying in a Kaccha House

2. SC/ST household

3. Female headed families with n male adult memeber

4. Landless labourers

Urban area includes:

1. Daily wage workers

2. Sweepers. watchmans. electricians, mechanic, street vendors

3. beggars

4. Rickshaw, bus and truck drivers, suppliers, etc.

How to Register for the Jan Arogya Scheme?

This scheme has been proposed by the government in association with National Health agency. To know whether you are eligible and to complete the registration process, one can log into the website for more information: http://www.abnhpm.gov.in/

Who Pays for the Treatment under Jan Arogya Scheme?

The state health agency along with the team of insurers and trust and em-panelled team of doctors or hospitals have come to the rescue with this scheme. The breakup which includes:

1. The state which opts for the trust or subsidy pool, the expenditure here would be borne or shared by the central and state government in the 60:40 ratio.

2. Those opting for the insurance model, the expenses would be covered by the trust or insurer.

3. Whereas those opted for the mixed model, would claim upto 1.5 lakhs which would be covered by the insurer and anything exceeding the amount would be covered by the trust.

4. All the Union territories without a Legislature would be funded completely by the central government.

Statistics as of now:

Every scheme or plan before its actual implementation, needs to be studied in a small level. Hence a plan in the name known as " Health and wellness centre" has been started in Bijapur district in Chattisgarh on the occassion of Ambedkar Jayanti. After this success the PM Modi, has decided to launch the scheme on the 25th September 2018.

Other states to sign the memorandum includes Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Sikkim, Assam, Madhya Pradesh etc that have opted for the trust model, whereby the bills would be reimbursed directly by the government. Whereas 10 big states are yet to sign the contract which includes non BJP run states like Odisha, Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil nadu and Kerala, as well as BJP run states like Rajashthan, Maharashtra and Goa.

As the schemes focus is on Health, this plan or scheme is also known as "Ayushmaan Bharat", and since this initiative is by the Modi government, this plan is also known as "Modicare".

Though India is a progressive Nation, but many factors are pulling it down. Health being one of them, the other is poverty and unemployment. The government with this scheme has aimed at two issues at one go. The scheme would focus on the health of the deserving category, but would lead to new avenues too in terms of employment. For providing treatments one would require a centre or hospitals. Hence there would be more hospitals and caretakers. Hence increase of employment opportunities too.

As we know the state is responsible for the welfare of their citizens, and the Modi government has taken the right step towards this direction.

An initiative not only focusing on the Health of the citizens but also towards eradicating other issues that hampers the nations development.

A request would be to spread this news of this scheme to as many people as possible and get people and family registered for the same. A small initiative by us the citizens in this step, would be a big help not just to the government but to the country itself.