Aarogya Manthan 2026 marks 8 years of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY

Union Health Minister JP Nadda inaugurated Aarogya Manthan 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 25 September 2026. The event, organised by the National Health Authority (NHA), marked eight years of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and five years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

PM-JAY at eight

AB PM-JAY offers eligible families health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh a year for hospital treatment at empanelled public and private hospitals. Speaking at the event, Nadda described it as the world's largest health assurance programme and said it has:

• Covered more than 60 crore beneficiaries
• Facilitated over 13 crore hospital admissions
• Funded treatment worth more than Rs 2 lakh crore

Digital health in numbers

ABDM gives people a digital health ID (ABHA) to link and share their medical records. Figures shared for the event (as of 1 September 2026):

What was launched

• A National Healthcare Providers Registry mobile app
• An implementation guide for insurers on the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX)
• A framework for automatic processing of claims
• A secure data environment application

Sessions also covered the Unified Health Interface, health data standards and faster claim settlement.

What it means for you

• Check eligibility for PM-JAY on the official beneficiary portal or at a Common Service Centre.
• An ABHA number lets you keep prescriptions and lab reports in one place and share them with doctors with your consent.
• Citizens aged 70 and above can enrol under the scheme's senior-citizen expansion regardless of income.

This is general information, not medical advice.