Ayushman Card Eligibility: The government has approved the inclusion of all the elderly above the age of 70 in the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which will be called a good step. With this decision, a free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to more than 6 crore people of the country. Also, health insurance cover of the same amount will also be available.
Social Security
This decision was necessary because India is far behind in terms of social security. The National Family Health Survey 2019-21 report shows that the number of families in the country, which have at least one member with health insurance, is only 41%. In big states like Bihar, Maharashtra, population is almost half the national average.
Financial assistance
This indifferent attitude towards health insurance is due to our habit, in which most people think that when the disease comes, we will see. Many people consider life insurance and health insurance as the same thing. But, when the disease comes, it spoils the budget of the whole house. The current move of the government can save many families from getting trapped in such an economic vicious circle.
Expensive treatment
Treatment in India is getting more expensive day by day. According to a survey by brokerage firm Mercer & Marsh Benefits, medical inflation in India was 9.6% in 2023, which may be 11% in the current year. During the Corona period, India was hit the most by medical inflation in the whole of Asia. Then medical inflation in our country had gone up to 14%, which was even more than China.
Increased average age
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that life expectancy in India is 67.3 years. In the last two decades alone, life expectancy at birth has increased by more than five years. Certainly this is good news, but it is also accompanied by the concern that the number of heart disease and diabetes patients is increasing rapidly in the country. A Forbes report says that about 58 lakh people die of non-communicable diseases in India every year. Most of these people die with the heart disease and cancer.
Everyone should get facilities
The government has also increased the quota for health in the budget this year. However, it is still less compared to China and America. Along with increasing the medical infrastructure, such arrangements will also have to be made so that the general public can take advantage of it. The recent decision of the government is a step taken in this direction, but it will also have to be ensured that the scheme is implemented properly.