The Ayushman Vay Vandana initiative, which aims to provide free healthcare to senior citizens aged 70 and above, has enrolled 25 lakh beneficiaries as of December 2024. This represents inclusion of 4 per cent of eligible 6 crore senior citizens over 70 years since launch of the programme in October.

The scheme provides health insurance cover of up to ₹5 lakh to senior citizens aged 70 and above, covering pre-existing diseases from Day 1. It is universally accessible, with no income limit, and is available to those not already covered by other government schemes. The card facilitates treatment for over 2,000 medical procedures. Over 22,000 senior citizens aged 70 and above have already benefited from the Ayushman Vay Vandana card, availing of treatments valued at more than ₹40 crore, per a recent release by the Centre.

Toppers & laggards

States like Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have witnessed higher enrollment rates, among senior citizens. Madhya Pradesh leads with 8.17 lakh cardholders (23.53 per cent coverage), followed by Kerala with 3.97 lakh cardholders (14.80 per cent coverage), and Gujarat with 7.70 per cent, per businessline’s analysis of data shared in Lok Sabha on December 13, 2024.

In contrast, north-eastern States like Mizoram (0.09 per cent coverage), Meghalaya (0.06 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (0.04 per cent) report the lowest enrollment. Among the large States, Tamil Nadu (1.46 per cent) Rajasthan (0.65 per cent) and Maharashtra (0.32 per cent) have lower rates of enrollment as of December.

Abhinav Akhilesh, partner at Grant Thornton Bharat, attributes Madhya Pradesh’s success to proactive measures such as door-to-door campaigns led by ASHA workers and ANMS (Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes). Kerala’s higher sign-ups is likely due to its demographic structure, where 7-8 per cent of the population is aged over 70. Kerala’s literacy levels, healthcare infrastructure, and awareness also contribute significantly, he added.

Major hurdles

Data show that the larger Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme is popular among the youth — 28 per cent of cardholders are aged 15-29 years, while only 14 per cent are 60 and above. However, experts note that senior citizens have the highest claim volumes and claim values range from ₹60,000-₹90,000. The frequency of claims in this age group is also nearly double that of younger segments.

The challenge also includes infrastructural gaps, Aadhar-linked registration issues, and awareness deficits. Spelling errors in ration cards or Aadhar details can exclude individuals, even if they are eligible, said Soumitra Ghosh, Associate Professor, Tata Institute of Social Science.

Experts also said that the efforts are being intensified and state machineries are engaging NGOs and private entities to increase the pace of enrolment. Initiatives such as enrolment camps organized by the Indian Medical Association are also contributing to this effort. However, the program’s success depends not just on financial outlays but also on granular, state-specific solutions to bridge the gaps.

The writer is an intern with businessline.