On 29th October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi blasted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) governments of Delhi and West Bengal for failing to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) his administration’s ambitious health insurance policy. He called it a “political decision” that prevents the elderly in these states from receiving free care under the program.
Noting that senior folks in Delhi and West Bengal who are 70 years of age or older were excluded because of “political hurdles,” the prime minister expressed regret and added that the administrations are “selfish” and “not concerned with humanity.”
“I apologise to the people over 70 years from Delhi and West Bengal that I will not be able to serve you. I apologise because I will come to know that you are suffering. I will get the information but I will not be able to help you. The reason is that the Delhi and West Bengal governments are not joining the Ayushman Bharat scheme. I am prevented from serving older people of Delhi and West Bengal because of politics, the Delhi that I am speaking from, I am pained,” he conveyed during his address on the occasion of Dhanvantri Jayanti.
Odisha, the third state to opt out of the program, is currently discussing its implementation with the centre. Bharatiya Janata Party recently overthrew the former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal’s decades-long dominance and established a government there. PM Modi gave the “Ayushman Vyay Card” to four recipients as a symbolic gesture to introduce the expanded Ayushman Bharat insurance program. He also extended his government’s flagship health insurance initiative to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above. All recipients over 70, including those who are currently enrolled in the program based on their financial situation, will receive the card.
His charge that politics had impeded welfare is supported by empirical data. Six years after the program’s launch, it is evident that states ruled by the opposition have used a sizable portion of the monies allotted. According to the latest data, 35,66,97,524 Ayushman cases have been created and 6,86,17,508 hospitalizations have taken place under the scheme till now. The government has already spent a total of Rs 79,227 crore till 15th January of this year, reported The Indian Express.
The highest number of Ayushman Cards are created in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Bihar whereas the greatest numbers of authorised hospital admissions were recorded in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan. The most numbers of empanelled hospitals were found in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and then Gujarat.
Seven states that are ruled by the opposition including Karnataka, Kerala, Jharkhand, Punjab, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu accounted for 45% of these hospitalizations. Furthermore, these states received 33% of the treatment reimbursements, demonstrating the program’s significant influence across political parties.
Three primary themes have emerged from PM Modi’s many allusions to Ayushman Bharat, demonstrating how it has created a safety net for marginalized groups across political boundaries. The program’s primary goal is to drastically lower low-income households’ out-of-pocket costs. Second, it provides access to emergency care and necessary medical treatments that many families previously couldn’t afford. Third, its effects are especially evident in marginalized communities.
PM Modi emphasized that the program is essential to building trust even while the state is ultimately in charge of health, this initiative has solidified the central government as a major force in providing free healthcare access across state lines. The program is offering vital financial assistance to families who would otherwise find it difficult to pay for specialized care, especially for chronic or life-threatening ailments, according to data from seven states with the rule.
For instance, general surgery, pediatric medicine, and general medicine were the most financially supported specialities in Tamil Nadu. While Kerala concentrated its expenditures on cardiology, general medicine, and orthopaedics, Karnataka allocated the majority of cash to cardiology, cardio-thoracic & vascular surgery, and neurosurgery. In the northern states, orthopaedics, general surgery, and cardiology received the majority of funding in Punjab. While Jharkhand focused its expenditures on ophthalmology, general surgery, and general medicine, Himachal Pradesh spent most of its money on cardiology, general surgery, and general medicine.
Regional differences in healthcare demands are also highlighted by spending trends. For example, orthopaedics and ophthalmology are given priority in northern regions like Punjab and Jharkhand, whereas cardiac and neuro-related treatments are highly sought after in southern states like Karnataka and Kerala. This illustrates how adaptable the plan is to the healthcare needs of different regions.
