Rs 3706 Cr Treatment Cost Cleared: 20 Lakh Admissions Under PM-JAY SEHAT in Jammu Kashmir | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Healthcare coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) SEHAT scheme in Jammu and Kashmir has crossed Rs 3706.45 crore, with over 20.08 lakh hospital admissions authorised as of February 28, 2026, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said the scheme continues to expand its footprint in the Union Territory, both in terms of financial coverage and beneficiary outreach.

The Minister stated that claim settlements under the scheme are being processed within stipulated timelines laid down by the National Health Authority. Claims for treatment within Jammu and Kashmir are to be settled within 15 days of submission, while portability claims—where beneficiaries avail treatment outside the Union Territory—are processed within 30 days.

Despite the scale of operations, the government acknowledged that 1.29 lakh claims have been rejected so far. The primary reasons cited include incomplete documentation and mismatches in the health benefit packages selected during claim filing.

On expanding the network of healthcare providers, the Centre said hospital empanelment under PM-JAY SEHAT remains a continuous process, managed by the respective State Health Agency based on availability and eligibility of institutions. To facilitate onboarding and address concerns of hospitals, a dedicated toll-free helpline (14413) has been operationalised.

The scheme’s coverage base in Jammu and Kashmir has widened significantly across multiple beneficiary categories. As per official data, 6.70 lakh families are covered under PM-JAY, while the SEHAT extension covers 18.91 lakh families. Additional categories include 3.44 lakh families under Ayushman Vay Vandana and 0.70 lakh families comprising ASHA workers, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers.

The response came in reply to a question raised by Rajya Sabha member Sat Paul Sharma, seeking details on claim settlement timelines, rejection rates, hospital empanelment and overall utilisation of the scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.