India’s Ayushman Vay Vandana initiative has completed two years, recording 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions with a combined authorised treatment value of ₹5,668.80 crore, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The figures were released on October 29, 2026, marking the second anniversary of the initiative, which was launched on October 29, 2024. The programme extends the benefits of Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to eligible citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Ayushman Vay Vandana completed two years, recording 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions valued at ₹5,668.80 crore.
Location: India.
Authority/Organisation: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Health Authority.
Action Taken: The government extended AB PM-JAY health coverage to eligible senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of socio-economic status.
Impact: Cataract surgery accounted for 4.71 lakh authorised treatments, while PTCA procedures represented approximately ₹649 crore in authorised treatment value.
Implemented by the National Health Authority under the Union Health Ministry, the initiative is intended to strengthen access to hospital care and financial protection for approximately six crore senior citizens belonging to around 4.5 crore families across India.
Under the scheme, eligible senior citizens aged 70 years and above can receive health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
For senior citizens belonging to families already covered under AB PM-JAY, an additional top-up cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year is available exclusively for the eligible elderly members. This additional coverage is separate from the cover available to other family members below the age of 70.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Healthcare expenses can create a substantial financial burden for older citizens and their families, particularly when treatment involves hospitalisation, surgery or long-term medical care. By extending publicly funded health coverage to eligible people aged 70 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status, Ayushman Vay Vandana seeks to improve access to secondary and tertiary hospital services. The utilisation figures also offer an indication of the types of treatment being accessed. Cataract surgery and chronic haemodialysis feature prominently in the reported treatment numbers, while PTCA accounts for a substantial authorised treatment value. The scheme's additional top-up provision for eligible senior citizens in existing AB PM-JAY families is another important feature. It separates their additional cover from the coverage available to younger family members. The initiative's actual impact will also depend on factors such as beneficiary awareness, enrolment, hospital participation, treatment availability, claim processing and the quality of care delivered.
According to official data available up to October 20, 2026, the initiative had recorded 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions. The corresponding authorised value of hospital treatment stood at ₹5,668.80 crore.
Cataract surgery emerged as the most frequently authorised procedure, accounting for 4.71 lakh treatments, or approximately 20.1 per cent of all authorised treatments. Chronic haemodialysis ranked next, with around 2.90 lakh treatments.
The figures also highlighted the demand for specialised cardiac care. Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), a procedure used to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, accounted for approximately ₹649 crore in authorised treatment value.
Other prominent treatment categories included total knee replacement, management of acute exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), acute febrile illness, and acute kidney injury and renal failure.
The range of treatments reflects the different healthcare requirements of older citizens, from eye surgery and kidney-related care to specialised cardiac procedures and treatment for acute medical conditions.
The Ministry said the initiative would continue to expand publicly funded healthcare coverage for eligible senior citizens as it enters its third year.
The latest figures provide an overview of the scheme’s reported utilisation during its first two years. However, authorised hospital admissions should not be interpreted as the number of unique individuals treated, and the authorised treatment value should not automatically be described as cash already paid to hospitals or beneficiaries.
