Will Ayushman Bharat bring a new wave of healthcare demand to West Bengal?

With West Bengal joining the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), nearly six crore more people will gain access to cashless hospital treatment, a move expected to increase utilisation across the state’s public and private healthcare network.

The National Health Authority (NHA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the West Bengal government, making it the 36th state or Union Territory to implement the scheme. Around 1.43 crore families in the state, comprising nearly six crore people, are expected to be covered under PM-JAY, the government said.

The rollout is also expected to bring nearly ₹1,000 crore in annual central funding into the state’s healthcare system. National Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Sunil Kumar Barnwal said the Centre’s contribution towards implementation of the scheme in West Bengal is expected to be close to ₹1,000 crore annually.

“The Government of India will provide substantial financial support towards implementation of the scheme. Based on the approved beneficiary base, the Central Government’s contribution is expected to be nearly ₹1,000 crore annually,” Barnwal said.

Officials said the funding would strengthen financial protection for beneficiaries while supporting greater utilisation of public and private healthcare facilities in the state.

According to the Health Ministry, PM-JAY has facilitated more than 12 crore hospital admissions worth over ₹1.82 lakh crore since its launch in 2018. More than 44 crore Ayushman cards have been generated under the programme, which currently covers over 62 crore people, including poor and vulnerable families, senior citizens aged 70 years and above, and gig and platform workers.

The ministry further said out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure in India has declined from 64.6% before 2018 to 43.4% currently.
One of the key benefits for West Bengal beneficiaries will be the portability feature of PM-JAY, allowing migrant workers and their families to access cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals across the country.

Beneficiaries in the state will also gain access to PM-JAY’s network of more than 36,000 empanelled hospitals, enabling treatment across public and private healthcare facilities without upfront payment.

“The integration of West Bengal into Ayushman Bharat is expected to do more than extend insurance coverage. It brings the state into a nationwide digital healthcare network where patient records, eligibility and treatment claims can be accessed across empanelled hospitals,” said Dr Alok Roy, Chairman of Kolkata-based Citadel Health. Dr Roy said his hospital network is in the process of seeking empanelment under the scheme.

“The portability feature will be particularly important for migrant workers and patients seeking treatment outside their home districts or states. The scheme could help bring more patients into the formal healthcare system by reducing out-of-pocket spending, which remains a major barrier to accessing care. It may also improve patient flows to organised hospitals, although reimbursement rates and payment timelines will remain important factors,” he added.

“Around 1.24 crore eligible families in the state would benefit directly under the scheme, with the total beneficiary base rising to 1.43 crore families after including senior citizens and frontline health workers,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The implementation of PM-JAY comes as West Bengal expands preventive healthcare initiatives. The state recently launched an HPV vaccination programme for 14-year-old girls and has vaccinated more than 33,000 beneficiaries so far out of a target population of 7.65 lakh.

With West Bengal joining the programme, PM-JAY is now being implemented across all states and Union Territories.