Two years after its launch, Ayushman Vay Vandana, the Centre’s universal health cover for Indians aged 70 and above, has authorised 23.46 lakh hospital admissions worth ₹5,668.80 crore, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 29 October 2026, the scheme’s second anniversary.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 October 2024, the initiative extends Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) benefits to every citizen aged 70 or older, regardless of income. It is implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) and is aimed at roughly 6 crore senior citizens from about 4.5 crore families.

How the cover works

Eligible senior citizens get cashless cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. Where a family is already covered under AB PM-JAY, members aged 70 and above receive an additional top-up of up to ₹5 lakh a year exclusively for themselves, so their hospital bills do not eat into the cover available to younger family members.

Enrolment runs through the Ayushman Vay Vandana card, which sits on the same digital rails as the rest of the PM-JAY and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) stack, from beneficiary identification to claims processing at empanelled hospitals.

What seniors are using it for

The utilisation data, counted up to 20 October 2026, offers a clear picture of where elderly patients have been turning to the scheme:

• Cataract surgery is the most frequently availed procedure, with 4.71 lakh treatments, or about 20.1% of all authorised treatments.
• Chronic haemodialysis follows with roughly 2.90 lakh treatments, pointing to sustained, repeat use by patients with kidney disease.
• Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) accounts for the largest share by value, at about ₹649 crore.
• Other leading categories include total knee replacement, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute febrile illness, and acute kidney injury and renal failure.

The mix spans the full range of hospital care, from high-volume elective procedures such as cataract surgery to expensive cardiac interventions and the management of acute, critical conditions.

NHA on the road ahead

“Ayushman Vay Vandana embodies our commitment to ensuring that senior citizens aged 70 years and above, can access healthcare with dignity, security and peace of mind,” said Dr Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO, National Health Authority. He added that extending AB PM-JAY coverage to all eligible seniors irrespective of socio-economic status “strengthens financial protection for the elderly families” and ensures “that financial constraints do not stand in the way of essential hospital care.”

The ministry said that as the scheme enters its third year, it will continue to widen the reach of publicly funded health coverage for the elderly.

Why it matters

India’s over-70 population carries a disproportionate burden of chronic and age-related disease, and out-of-pocket hospital costs have long pushed older households into financial distress. Two years of claims data now give policymakers and hospitals an evidence base on demand from this cohort, with eye care, dialysis and cardiac care emerging as the clear pressure points. For empanelled providers and health-IT teams, the numbers also underline how much elderly care is now flowing through digital, cashless rails, and why claims processing, identity verification and capacity planning for these specialities will matter more as enrolment grows.

Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare / PIB, 29 October 2026.

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