The healthcare landscape in India is about to witness a major shift with the launch of an Integrated Health Card in February 2025. This initiative merges the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and Odisha’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (G-JAY), aiming to streamline health insurance benefits and ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage for millions of Indians.

What Does the Integrated Health Card Offer?

The new health card combines the benefits of both schemes to provide enhanced health insurance coverage:

1. For Women: Rs 10 lakh health insurance/assurance under G-JAY.
2. For Men: Rs 5 lakh health insurance/assurance under G-JAY.
3. AB-PMJAY Coverage: Rs 5 lakh per family per year for treatment in empanelled public and private hospitals nationwide.

This integration ensures that eligible beneficiaries, especially women, receive more robust healthcare coverage, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and improving access to quality care.

Key Highlights of the Initiative

1. Expansion of Empanelled Hospitals:
   • Currently, 956 hospitals are empanelled under G-JAY.
   • The integrated scheme aims to expand this network to 30,000 hospitals across India, enabling beneficiaries to access treatment more easily.
2. Enhanced IT Integration:
   • The health department is addressing challenges in IT infrastructure to ensure smooth implementation.
   • The database of e-KYC records, covering approximately 1 crore people, will be used to ensure seamless integration of beneficiary data.
3. Central and State Collaboration:
   • A central team has already reviewed preparations in Odisha, and the state government is actively working to resolve technical issues for smooth implementation.
4. Chief Minister’s Oversight:
   • Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi is closely monitoring progress to ensure that eligible people are not deprived of health insurance benefits.

Why This Matters

The integration of AB-PMJAY and G-JAY is a significant step toward achieving equitable healthcare for all. By providing women beneficiaries with Rs 10 lakh health insurance, this initiative addresses gender-specific healthcare disparities and prioritizes women’s health.

Additionally, expanding the hospital network and improving IT infrastructure will reduce barriers to accessing quality treatment, particularly for rural and economically disadvantaged populations.

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